


Home is Where the Heart Is

by Sarah (The_British_American_Girls)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ace rey, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Armitage Hux & Phasma Friendship, Armitage Hux Has Feelings, Armitage Hux Has Issues, Armitage Hux and Temmin Wexley, Asexuality, Awesome Phasma, BB-8 is a car, Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Brendol shows up, Closeted Character, Creepy Snoke (Star Wars), Evil Snoke, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Fluff, Father/Son Incest, Gang Rape, Good Parent Han Solo, HIV/AIDS, He's worse than Snoke, High School, Homophobia, Human Chewbacca, Hurt/Comfort, Huxley, I lied, I lied again, Kidnapping, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Mentioned Brendol Hux, Minor Character Death, Minor Original Character(s), Mutilation, Nightmares, No Smut, Non-Explicit Sex, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV Armitage Hux, POV Ben Solo, POV Multiple, POV Poe, Parents Han and Leia, Past Child Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Poe was in a gang, Prom, Russian Chewbacca, Sexual Coercion, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Sorry Not Sorry, Theatre, Therapy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Torture, Wrote this instead of my other fics, Young Armitage Hux, Young Ben, Young Poe Dameron, Young Rey, bad memories, cause he's a creep, comic books, did I mention Snoke was evil, gang affiliations, hand holding, he is the worst of worst, intimacy issues, some explicit sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:01:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 24
Words: 75,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22122991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_British_American_Girls/pseuds/Sarah
Summary: Ben joins a rather unexpected family when he moves into his new foster home with Han and Leia Solo.
Relationships: Armitage Hux & Tritt Opan, Armitage Hux/ Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron/Phasma
Comments: 117
Kudos: 116





	1. Welcome to the Family

**Author's Note:**

> I've been thinking about this a lot. There's been a few fan arts that I've seen that keep making me think of Rey and Finn and Poe being adopted siblings. But I'm also a hard-core Kylux shipper, so this is what has come about. If you're following some of my other fics, please don't be mad at me for beginning another before I work on those ones. I promise I haven't abandoned any of them, but when inspiration hits, you just gotta go with it. Hope you all enjoy!

Ben looked around as he stepped out of the car. “The Solos are a lovely couple,” his social worker, Maz Kanata, assured him. “For your sake, please behave. You know we’re having a hard time finding a home for you.” He grabbed his garbage bag of belongings without saying anything. He followed her to the front door where she rang the doorbell.

The front door opened to reveal a tall gray-haired man. He smiled an odd crooked smile. “Maz,” the man greeted, “come on in.” He looked at Ben and extended his hand. “You must be Ben. I’m Han.”

Ben didn’t accept his hand. “Hi,” is all he said.

“Well, come on in.” Ben followed Maz inside. “Leia!” he called as he closed the door. “Maz is here with Ben!”

A short dark-haired woman came in from a doorway off to the side of the living room. She smiled. “We’ve been expecting you.” She walked toward them with purpose and opened her arms to Ben. “It’s lovely to have you here with us, Ben.”

Ben took a step back. “Hey,” he replied. Leia understood his silent rejection and put her arms down. Her smile didn’t faulter though.

“Why don’t we show you around?” she offered. “Let me take your bag.” Ben reluctantly handed it over. “I’ll show you your room first and then we can have a tour of the rest of the house. Follow me.”

Maz nodded to encourage Ben to follow. He sighed and did so. Leia kept talking as they made their way up the stairs, listing off rules and making other notes about how things were done in their home. “This is your room,” she said as she opened the door on the right.

Ben stepped inside and looked around. It was clean with a bunkbed and two dressers by the window. The beds were made and there was nothing on the walls or anywhere else. Ben hoped this meant he was the only occupant in this room.

“You’ll be sharing this room with Armitage,” Leia told him. “He’s on the top bunk. His dresser is the brown one.” She set the garbage bag on the bottom bed. “You can put your things in the other one. There’s also a closet you can put things in.” Ben nodded. “Well, let’s show you the rest of the house and maybe you can meet some of the other kids.” Ben turned around and followed her out.

Leia continued to show him the rest of the house. The room across from his was where two of the other boys slept, Finn and Poe and there was a bathroom at the end of the hall for them to share with a linen closet just outside of it. They made their way downstairs once again where there was the main living room where they’d entered from the front door. The doorway Leia had come from was the kitchen which had a doorway to the dining room. It had a sliding glass door that led outside to the backyard and a hallway from there led to the master bedroom, where Han and Leia slept. Another short hallway led back into the living room.

There was another set of stairs that went down. There was a common room they called a game room, with a table and chairs and a bookshelf filled with all kinds of board games. There was a hallway that went to a bedroom where Rey and Rose slept. A second hallways led to another bathroom with a wash room. At the end of the hall was two more bedrooms. Only one was occupied by a young woman named Phasma. She was inside, laying on her bed, writing in a notebook.

“Phas,” Han greeted. She looked up and smiled. “Hey, Dad.”

“We want you to meet the new member of the house, Ben. Ben this is our daughter, Phasma.”

“Oh, hey,” she said as she stood up. She was tall! As tall as Ben who was extremely tall himself, at 6’ 4”. She strode over and extended her hand. “I’m Phasma.” Ben felt compelled to take her hand. She was beautiful! She had short blond hair and bright blue eyes. Ben wasn’t even attracted to women, but he couldn’t help thinking how gorgeous she was. She was wearing long knee-length socks and short workout shorts and a gray tank. She could tell Ben was staring so she quickly said, “So for my appearance, just got done with soccer practice and haven’t had a chance to change yet. I had to get some homework done ASAP, so, ya know.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, it’s fine.”

“Well, it’ll be nice to have someone new around the house. Met any of the other kids yet?”

Ben shook his head. “No, not yet.”

She smiled. “I’m sure you’ll get along with everyone just fine. Well, I’ve got to finish some homework.” She then went back to her bed and got comfortable.

“See ya,” Ben said as they all exited the room. They made their way back to the living room and sat on the sofas there.

“Rose and Rey are at play practice,” Han explained. “They’ll be home soon. You’ll get to meet everyone tonight.”

“Han and Leia will be good for you,” Maz promised as she patted Ben’s knee. She stood up. “I’ll check in with you soon.”

“Thanks for stopping by, Maz,” Han said as he went to the door with her.

“We’ll see you soon,” she replied as she left.

Han closed the door and came back to the couch to sit next to Leia. “So, we’ll be doing dinner in about an hour. You can go and unpack and make yourself comfortable.”

Ben nodded and stood up. Just then, another young man walked in from the kitchen. “Hey all!” he shouted as he walked in and sat down on the couch on the other side from Ben.

“Hey,” Han replied. “How was work?”

Poe shrugged. “Fine.” He sat forward on the edge of his seat. “I’m Poe,” he said as he extended his hand.

“Ben,” he replied without accepting the handshake.

“Cool. You registered for school yet?”

“We’ll go in on Monday and get it set up,” Leia answered.

“Cool,” Poe replied. “Well, hey, every morning me and Phasma go for a run, if you’re interested, you could join us. You look like you work out.”

Ben shrugged. “Yeah, I might join you.”

“Great! You met anyone else? I think Rey and Rose are still at the school for play rehearsal. Rose is tech manager or something and I think Rey is in the play.”

“It’s the spring production,” Leia explained. “They usually do a Shakespeare in the spring. They’re doing A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Rey is playing Titania. You like theater?”

Ben shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Well, we always go to the opening night,” Han added. “We go as a family.”

Ben nodded. “Okay.” He paused. “Can I go unpack now?”

Leia smiled. “Sure. Dinner will be at five. You can come help with it if you want, or just come hang out.”

“Okay,” Ben replied as he stood up.

“We’re glad to have you here, kid,” Han added. Ben just smiled weakly and made his way to his new room. He sighed as he dumped his few belongings out on the bed. He had a few outfits; a pair of jeans and a couple of t-shirts. A couple of pairs of boxers and some tanks. He put them in the drawer that was ‘his’ and then sat down on the bed and buried his face in his hands. He wasn’t planning on staying for long. He never did. The last home he was in was a group home for boys and they asked he be moved to another home because he kept getting into fist fights with the other boys. It wasn’t his fault they were stupid enough to pick a fight with him. He was bigger and stronger than most of them, but he had anger issues and a short fuse. This was his third home that year and it was barely half-way through April. He didn’t figure he’d last until even the end of the school year.

The door opened and he looked up. A guy about his age stood there with a sour expression on his face. He was fair skinned and had red hair. He glanced at Ben and rolled his eyes. “They told me you were coming today.” He went to his dresser and set his book bag on top of it, carefully removing the contents. “I don’t care for roommates, but it is what it is, I suppose.” He took a few books and notebooks out from his bag and gently placed them on top of the dresser, straightening them as he went. He turned back to Ben when he was finished. “I’m Armitage. You can call me Armitage, not Armie, not Tage, just Armitage. Leave my things alone and we won’t have any problems. Keep your clothes off the floor. Shoes go in the bottom of the closet. I don’t like the room to get dirty. Keep to yourself and we won’t have any problems. Understood?”

Before Ben could say anything, he heard Han at the door. “Armie!” he warned. Ben looked over. He was leaning against the doorframe, his arms crosser. “We told you to be nice.”

“I AM being nice,” he argued.

“Sounds to me like you’re trying to give orders.”

Armitage sighed and looked down. “I’m sorry.” He looked back at Ben. “I apologize, I can… I have OCD. I can get a little frantic when things are out of order. I’ll try to be more understanding of having a roommate.”

“It’s okay,” Ben assured him.

Armitage nodded. “Thank you.”

“You get that history project done?” Han asked him.

He looked back at Han. “Yes, sir. We present on Monday. I’m confident it’ll be an acceptable submission.”

Han smiled at him. “Great, just as long as you do your best, that’s all that matters to us. Dinner will be ready soon,” he turned and left.

Armitage licked his lips. It was obvious he was nervous. “I’m going to go help Leia with dinner,” he said quickly and followed Han out the door. Ben sighed and flopped back on the bed. He had only been there a couple hours and he was already ready to leave.


	2. Dinner and a Movie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben sees what dinner is like in his new home and joins the family for a movie.

“I don’t like him,” Armitage said to Leia as he helped her cut up vegetables.

“Armie, you’ve barely spoken to him.”

He sighed. “I just don’t think we’re going to get along.”

Leia gave him a sympathetic look. “And you know that from one conversation with him.”

“One where you were yelling at him,” Han added from here he was standing at the counter, eating tortilla chips that were meant for dinner.

“I wasn’t yelling at him,” Armitage defended. He sighed. “I know you told me I’d be having roommate, but seeing someone else in my room just triggered me. I said I was sorry.”

Han smiled at him. “I know you did.”

Armitage took a deep breath. “I’ll try to behave. I promise.”

Leia turned to him. “Armie, it’s not about behaving, you know that,” Leia assured him. “Having OCD is not a behavior problem, it’s a mental illness, just like depression or anxiety.”

“I know,” Armitage replied. “I just feel like a bother sometimes.”

“Just remember what you’ve learned in your Exposure and Response Therapy,” Leia reminded him. “I know it’s not easy sweetie, but we’re all here to help you. Okay?”

Armitage shook his head. “Sometimes it feels like ERT doesn’t really do anything.”

“Sure, when you don’t use what you learn,” Han said as he came over to him and gently took the knife from him, he was using to cut tomatoes. He grabbed a tomato and cut it in half, but purposefully made sure it wasn’t as centered as it could have been. “There, now cut them.”

“Dad!” Armitage yelled at him with a smile.

Han laughed and put his hands up in defense. “Hey, just trying to help.”

Armitage took a chunk of tomato he’d already cut up and threw it at him. “I certainly don’t need YOUR help.”

Han just laughed some more. Leia turned back to them. “Do NOT throw food,” she ordered.

Armitage just laughed. “Sorry, Mom,” he said as he went back to cutting tomatoes. Armitage wouldn’t say it out loud, but he knew Han was right. He didn’t really put to use what he learned in his ERT classes. He was still getting used to the idea of having a family who cared enough about him to get him the medications he needed and take him to therapy. He’d been with the Solos since he was thirteen, taken away from his abusive father who told him over and over again that nothing he did was good enough. Armitage knew that’s where is OCD stemmed from. He also knew that he didn’t need to please his adoptive parents like he had his own father. They were just happy when he tried his best, no matter what the result.

Han and Leia officially adopted him only after six months of him living with them. It was obvious to the judge that his own father was never going to do what was necessary to get his son back. He was seventeen now, and though his parents had constantly reassured him that they never expected perfection from him, he wanted to do what he could to repay them for taking him in. He loved Han and Leia dearly and the only way he could imagine paying them back for accepting him as their own, was to be as perfect as he could be.

Rey and Rose finally came home just as Poe and Armitage were setting the table. “How was rehearsal?” Leia asked.

“It was good,” Rose answered. “Tech week is next week, but I think it’s gonna go great.”

“And how was rehearsal for you?” Han asked Rey.

“It was fine. Titania isn’t a very big role, so I’ve got it down already.”

“Hey, just remember there are no small parts, just-”

“Small actors,” Rey finished for him. “Yes, I know. I didn’t say it’s a small part, it’s just not a very big role, that’s all. And I’m a Freshman after all, so it’s not surprising that I didn’t get a lead part.”

“Hey, Armie,” Leia said, “would you mind grabbing Ben and letting him know dinner is ready?”

“He’s here!” Rose said excitedly.

“We’ll go grab him!” Rey offered as she grabbed Rose’s hand to drag her off with her.

“No, I want Armitage to get him,” Leia replied. “I don’t want to overwhelm him with so many new faces. If you girls would grab Phasma, that would be appreciated.”

“Okay,” Rey replied and pulled Rose out of the dining room with her.

Armitage stood there, not wanting to go back to his room where his new gloomy roommate was. “Hey, kid,” Han said to him. “You hear your mom. Go get Ben, would you?”

Armitage nodded. “Yeah, I will,” he replied reluctantly. When he went into his room, Ben was laying on his bed with his eyes closed. He cleared his throat to get his attention, hoping he wasn’t actually asleep.

Ben opened an eye and looked at him. He sat up. “Hey.”

“Dinner is ready,” Armitage said and then turned to leave.

“I’m not hungry,” Ben quickly replied.

Armitage stopped and turned to looked at him. “It doesn’t matter. We have dinner as a family. You don’t have to eat, but Han and Leia will expect you to come downstairs to join us anyway.”

“Well, tell them I’m not hungry.”

“I’m not your messenger boy! Tell them yourself!”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He stood up and pushed passed him and headed downstairs. Armitage tried to not let himself get riled up over it. So, he took a deep breath and headed downstairs as well.

Ben hated every minute of dinner. Everyone was friendly and asked him lots of questions. He just wanted to finish his food and go back to his room. The youngest two, Rey and Rose were the ones most interested in him. Rey especially seemed to want to know everything about him and kept talking as though he were listening. He finally met Finn at dinner as well. He was the same age as Rey. He was black, with very dark skin. He seemed nice enough and he had a large, white-tooth smile he flashed every chance he got.

“Ben? Are you all right?” Leia asked, breaking into his thought.

He looked over at her. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired.”

“So, I suppose you won’t be joining us for our Friday night movie then?” Phasma asked.

Ben couldn’t help it. When Phasma talked, he was just drawn to her. She was like some kind of siren and it bothered him. He couldn’t figure out why he felt compelled to talk to her. “I don’t know. What’s that?”

“Every Friday, all of us kids watch a movie together,” Poe explained. “We send Han and Leia to their room,” he joked. “No adults allowed.”

“Hey! I’m an adult!” Phasma argued. 

“You don’t count,” Armitage piped in. “You might be nineteen, but you’re still one of us.”

“You’re so sweet, Tage,” she said in a sing-song tone as she reached over and ruffled his hair.

“Don’t do that!” he almost yelled as he slapped her hands away and started readjusting his hair. “You know I don’t like it when people touch my hair.”

“Keep your hands to yourself, Phas,” Han said noncommittally.

Armitage smirked at him. “Thanks for your support, Dad,” he teased.

Han chuckled and smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Phasma turned her attention back to Ben. “So, you gonna join us for our Friday night movie or not?”

Ben shrugged. “I guess.”

“Sweet!” Rey said excitedly. “It’s my turn to pick the movie tonight.”

Finn groaned. “Please do not pick another musical,” he begged.

“You don’t HAVE to join us for the movie if you don’t want to,” Rey retorted.

“I like hanging out with everyone though,” he argued.

Rey smiled. “Then I guess you’ll have to deal with whatever movie I pick.”

“Well, let’s get dinner cleaned up before you guys get to doing your movie,” Leia suggested.

Ben watched as everyone went to the task of clearing the dinner table. It was bizarre to him to see how everyone seemed to know exactly what to do. Rey and Finn cleared everyone’s dishes, while Poe started washing them at the sink in the kitchen. Rose and Phasma helped Leia put food in Tupperware and Han and Armitage helped dry and put dishes away. Ben stood there feeling a little useless, but he told himself not to care. He wasn’t going to fit in there and wasn’t going to be staying long anyway.

“I’m gonna go set up the movie!” Rey announced excitedly and then dashed off to the living room. Rose followed quickly behind.

“Those two are joined at the hip,” Poe commented to Han.

“Yeah, makes me worry how she’ll react if Rose ever gets to go back home to her parents,” he replied.

Ben listened carefully to try and understand the family dynamic around him. From what he’d gathered at dinner, Phasma was adopted, Rey was Han and Leia’s biological daughter, and they were working on legally adopting Poe. He wasn’t sure about anyone else just yet. He was in foster care, so he wasn’t surprised to hear that at least one of the other kids was also a foster child. He knew with himself that the state was trying to find him a permanent placement, but he was making it difficult. He figured he’d age out of the system before they found a family that would be willing to adopt him. He was sixteen. Even if he wasn’t a problem child, it was rare to find an adoptive family for someone his age.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, dear,” Leia said. She took over the dish washing from Poe. “You kids go and enjoy your movie. Han and I can finish up here.”

Poe smiled at her. “Thanks, Mom.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek and then headed for the living room with everyone else.

Ben noticed that Armitage stayed behind with Han and Leia. He didn’t care. His ginger roommate was awkward and weird. If he was being forced to spend time with the rest of the household, he’d be happy it didn’t include Armitage. Ben went into the living room and sat on a large, overstuffed chair. Rey and Rose had curled up together on the loveseat, wrapped up in a large blanket that covered them both. Phasma was on the sofa with Poe on one side and Finn on the other. Ben took note though of how Poe’s arm was around the back of the couch in an obvious attempt to be closer to Phasma.

“So, what are we watching?” Poe asked.

“The first Avengers movie,” Rey answered.

“I can deal with that,” Finn commented.

Everyone got comfortable and watched the movie. About ten minutes in, Armitage finally made his way into the living room. He sat on the floor in front of Poe and Phasma. Ben couldn’t help watching them. Phasma reached over and put her hand on Armitage’s shoulder. She whispered something to him, probably asking if he was okay, Ben guessed. Armitage nodded and turned his attention back to the movie.

Armitage kept glancing over at Ben. He wanted to make an effort to get along with him, if for no other reason but to make Han and Leia happy. He hadn’t had a roommate in some time though. The last time was almost a year ago and that had been awkward and uncomfortable. Dopheld Mitaka was a strange kid who was completely obsessed with Armitage. He followed him almost everywhere, like some kind of puppy dog. Armitage knew he was gay, but he was not interested in Dopheld at all. Armitage was sixteen at the time and Dopheld was thirteen. Fortunately, he hadn’t stayed with them for long. He was only there for about four months.

Before the movie was over, Armitage made a quiet exit and went to his room. He didn’t want to deal with going to bed at the same time as Ben, so he dressed in lounge pants and crawled under the sheets. It wasn’t cold enough to need any covers, but he couldn’t sleep without something over him. He didn’t know if this was a part of his OCD, but he didn’t care. He was able to sleep that way. He closed his eyes and drifted off for the evening.


	3. Fun and Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben spends time with his new family over the weekend. He learns more about them and they learn more about his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so glad to see how many of you are interested in this fic! Like most of my work, it's something I do for myself, but if others enjoy it, that's just a bonus! I am trying very hard to make sure I update weekly. I'm also trying to make sure I continue on with my other fics as well. So, if you like this fic and need more of my work, please feel free to check out some of my other pieces.  
> I know this is a shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoy it!

Ben joined Poe and Phasma for their morning run. Ben hadn’t said much since the night before. Poe still didn’t know what to think of him. They jogged for about five miles. Poe didn’t know if Ben would be able to keep up with them, so he and Phasma had agreed to cut it shorter than typical. They found a place to rest. Poe drank from his water bottle and then handed it to Phasma.

“So, you guys together?” Ben asked as he accepted the water bottle from Phasma.

Poe laughed. “It that obvious?” He paused. “We’re trying to keep it quiet though. We don’t know how okay Han and Leia would be with it.”

“Why wouldn’t they be?”

“A lot of different reasons,” Phasma answered. “I’m nineteen after all and Poe is only seventeen. That, and we’re technically siblings.”

“Well, at least once I’m officially adopted any way.”

Ben nodded. He didn’t care though. If they wanted to be together, they should be. Ben understood wanting to be with someone others thought you shouldn’t be with. When he was twelve, he’d finally accepted that he was gay. His parents were devoted Christians, so he knew he had to keep it a secret. Two years later, they caught him with a guy. When they told him to “stop being gay” and he “refused” they kicked him out and disowned him. Ben didn’t have anywhere else to go. He was on the streets for several months until a man took him in. Mr. Snoke. He treated Ben well enough, but he expected things in return for his generosity. For all intents and purposes, he was Snoke’s slave.

He was only with him for a little over a year before the authorities got involved. Since Ben was a minor and he had no family, he was put into the foster care system. Since then, he’d been shuttled off from one home to another for some reason. He’d never stayed more than two months in any given home. He was always getting into fights and often ran away. He was also a sexually reactive youth. There weren’t many people who could or would handle him.

“We should head back,” Phasma finally said. “I was gonna help Tage study for his science test.”

They all stood up together and started jogging back home. Phasma liked Ben. He was quiet, but she could tell that he needed a friend. She hoped that he and Armitage would be good for each other. Armitage was often distant from people, afraid of messing up and being reprimanded for it. Phasma had been with the Solos since she was eleven. When Armitage came to live with them, they became fast friends, even though she as two years older than him. They just clicked. They were kindred spirits.

When they got home, Poe went to take a shower and Ben went back to his room to wait to use it. Phasma found Armitage in the dining room, with his science book open and a notebook. He was rewriting another list, obviously unhappy with the way it had looked before. Phasma came up behind him and looked at what he was doing. This was the fifth time he’d made the same list of vocabulary words. “Hey,” she said, “your list looks fine,” she reminded him. She knew that with his OCD he would often rewrite lists unnecessarily because it wasn’t perfect in some way.

Armitage turned and looked at her. “Believe it or not, this is actually a studying mechanism rather than my OCD. If I write them multiple times, I’m more likely to remember it.”

Phasma eyed him skeptically as she sat across from him. “And the fact that you can make each list prettier and nicer than the last one has nothing to do with it?”

Armitage grinned. “I didn’t say it didn’t have a dual purpose.” He chuckled. “How was your run this morning?”

“Fine. We cut it short. We didn’t know how much Ben would actually be able to do. He seemed to keep up pretty well though.”

Armitage looked back down at his notebook. “That’s good.”

Phasma grabbed his science book and pulled it toward her. “Ready for me to help you study?”

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Han took Ben clothes shopping. He didn’t have a lot, so they wanted to get him a few more things he would need. “Especially with starting school on Monday,” Han told him. “You’ll need some gym clothes too, I’m sure.” Ben always thought this was awkward, being told to ‘pick what you like’ and ‘not to worry about the price’. Especially when he knew he wouldn’t be sticking around for long. He let Han buy him some basics, socks and underwear. A couple pairs of jeans and a sweatshirt.

“What do you and Leia do?” Ben asked as they loaded their bags in the car. “Leia is the school superintendent actually,” Han told him. “I’m an electrician. Own a place with my best friend. He usually joins us for dinner Sunday nights, so you’ll meet him tomorrow.”

“Great,” was all he said in return.

As they got into the car, Han paused for a moment. “Look, kid, I only know what Maz told us about you, but if you need to talk, Leia and I are here for you.” Ben glanced over at him and nodded. He was quiet for the drive home.

He was glad Hux was out when they got back. He went to their room to unpack his new things. He sat on his bed and sighed. He felt lost and alone. There was a part of him that wished he’d never been taken from Snoke. He knew the man was evil, forcing Ben to do unspeakable things in return for his ‘kindness’ of letting him stay with him. But Ben at least had a place. A place he understood. A place of his own. Call it Stockholm-syndrome or whatever, but he knew there was a part of himself that missed what he had with the old man. He didn’t always treat him unkindly, there were times he was gentle to him, but Ben reminded himself of all the things he made him do to ‘earn his stay’ and grew sick. He didn’t miss Snoke, but he missed having a place he understood. 

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Phasma invited Ben to join her and the other kids for a board game. “I’m not much for board games,” he answered.

“Please?” Rey begged. “You don’t have to play, you can just hang out with us,” she offered.

Phasma smiled at her. She loved seeing her sister be so welcoming. Rey had been like that ever since she was little. She tried to involve everyone and make sure everyone felt like they had a place. Phasma turned back to Ben. “So, what do ya say?”

Ben sighed. “Okay.”

“Yes!” Rey exclaimed as she dashed from Ben’s room downstairs to the family room. “Ben is coming too!” she shouted excitedly as she burst in.

Armitage rolled his eyes. “Yay,” he said unenthusiastically.

“He’s not so bad,” Poe tried telling him. 

“He’s not YOUR roommate,” Armitage pointed out. He hadn’t yet told Han and Leia about Ben’s constant masturbation. It didn’t matter if Armitage was in their room or not, if he was asleep yet or not, Ben seemed to have a constant need or want for it. What bothered him more was how much it turned him on. He had finally come to terms with the fact that he did find Ben attractive. He was oddly shaped. Tall and gangly, with a nose too long for his face, and ears that stuck out a bit too much, but it was because of these oddities, rather than in spite of them, that made him find him so handsome. He had fair skin, not pale like Armitage’s, but fair and his face was kissed with moles in a way that made him want to trace his fingers from one to the next.

“I think you just need to try harder with him,” Poe replied.

Before Armitage could say anything in return, Phasma came down the stairs, with Ben following close behind. “So, what are we playing?” she asked excitedly as she sat at the table with everyone else.

“How about Catan?” Finn suggested.

“I HATE Catan,” Rose whined.

“Yahtzee?” Poe asked.

“BORING!” Phasma replied. “Jenga?”

“I’m terrible at Jenga,” Rey answered.

“Code Names?” Armitage suggested.

No one seemed to dispute the idea immediately. “Sure,” Phasma finally answered. “Anyone opposed?” Everyone agreed to play. Ben said he’d sit out and watch. He found he actually enjoyed just hanging out with everyone and eventually joined them when they decided to play Clue. Finn and Rose left to help with dinner before they started the game.

“Is Chewie coming for dinner tonight?” Rey asked the remaining group.

“I haven’t heard otherwise,” Poe answered.

“Who’s Chewie?” Ben asked curiously.

“Dad’s business partner,” Armitage answered.

Before he could ask, Phasma said, “Chewie isn’t his real name. His name is Chewbacca.”

Ben looked at her quizzically. “That’s kind of a bizarre name.”

“He’s Russian,” Poe replied.

“Ah.” That made more sense. He wanted to ask more, but they started the game. Rey of course insisted on being Ms. Scarlett while Phasma chose to play Mrs. Peacock. Armitage played Colonel Mustard.

“He always plays Mustard,” Phasma told Ben. “Yellow is his favorite color.”

He shrugged. “It makes me happy.”

“You want Plum or Green?” Poe asked. “Unless you want to play White,” he joked.

Ben chuckled. “I’ll play Plum. I like Christopher Lloyd.”

“You’ve seen the movie?” Armitage asked.

“It’s one of my favorites,” he answered.

Armitage smiled. “Mine too.”

“I love Tim Curry,” he explained.

“I loved him in Oliver Twist.”

“He was in Oliver Twist?” Ben asked.

“It was a made for TV film,” Armitage answered. “It can be hard to find.”

“I know it’s cliché, but my favorite is Rocky Horror.”

“Why’s it cliché?”

Ben shrugged. “I’m gay. It’s kind of stereo-typical for gay guys to love that movie.”

“Oh,” Armitage replied.

“I didn’t realize you were gay,” Phasma said.

“Yeah, it’s actually why I’m in foster care,” he replied sadly.

Poe looked confused. “How?”

“My parents kicked me out for being gay.”

“No fucking way!” Poe exclaimed.

Ben nodded. “Yeah.”

Phasma shook her head. “I can’t imagine. Not accepting your child’s sexual orientation just seems so backwards to me. Especially in this day and age.”

Armitage agreed, but didn’t say anything. His own father had beat him when he had come out, but his father would beat him for almost anything. He’d slap him if he disagreed even on the slightest subject. He’d take a switch to his back for not cleaning his room, even though there wasn’t anything left to clean. He’d use a belt on his ass to the point he couldn’t sit down for a week because he’d come home two minutes late from school.

Rose came running down the stairs just then. “Dinner’s ready and Chewie’s here!”

They all got up, leaving the game as it was, and headed upstairs. Ben stopped in his tracks when he saw the man who’d come for dinner. He was huge! And that felt like an understatement. He was taller than even Ben was. He assumed this must have been Chewie. He was broad and had a thick, dark beard and equally thick and dark, long hair. Han was standing at the door with him. He turned when he saw the kids come up the stairs. “Ben,” he called him over, “this is my business partner, Chewbacca. Chewie, this is the new addition to our family, Ben.”

The large man extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, young Ben,” he said in a thick Russian accent.

Ben accepted his hand, which dwarfed his own. Even though his hand was large, it was gentle as it took Ben’s. “Hi,” Ben replied.

Chewie smiled. “I like you,” he said. He laughed, a large, boisterous roar. “I like you.” He patted him hard on the back. “Now,” he turned back to Han, “what has that pretty, little, wife of yours made for dinner.” He and Han went to the dining room.

Poe nudged Ben’s shoulder. “Not what you were expecting, huh?”

Ben shook his head. “Not at all.”

“He’s pretty great,” Poe assured him. “Come on.” They all went into the dining room too.

Ben was enthralled by Chewie. He enjoyed his accent and his deep voice. He laughed all the time. Every little thing seemed to set him off and it was never just a small chuckle, it was always loud and from deep in his chest. He noticed that Rey seemed to adore him. She was small as it was, but next to him, she seemed so petite. She sat next to him and leaned into him, hugging him every chance she got. Ben still didn’t understand how this family functioned, but he was starting to see that it was one based on love. He thought, maybe he’d try and stay here a little while longer than normal.


	4. You'll Never Forget Your First Time AKA First Day of School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben's first day of school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm changing the rating from Teen to Mature. We've just started delving into some more mature themes in this chapter and will deal with quite a few more as the story progresses. Nothing gets graphic, but there are just mature elements at play here and I think Mature is a more accurate rating.
> 
> Trigger Warnings: Physical Abuse
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Han took all the kids to school on Monday. Ben hated every moment of it. It turned out that Rey was always chipper and Ben couldn’t stand that so early in the morning. He hadn’t slept well the night before either, which only added to his glum disposition. During dinner the night before, he really thought he might try to make this family work, but as he tried to sleep, every doubt and insecurity flooded his mind. How could this wonderful, though rather hectic family, come to love him? He was broken and unlovable.

After Han parked the van, everyone piled out and went their separate ways. “Come on,” Han said to Ben, “let’s go to the office and get you registered.” Ben followed silently. They already had an appointment with the school counselor, to go over what classes he needed. Ben was a Junior. Even with moving from one foster home to another, he was able to scrape by with a D+ and C average. It was obvious he wasn’t the best student, but at least he was on track to graduate when he should.

The counselor greeted them warmly. Mr. Skywalker, was a kind looking man. He wore his hair long for a man of his profession, it wasn’t quite shoulder-length, and he had a nicely trimmed beard. He wore a brown sweater and jeans. “You must be Ben! My sister told me you’d be registering for classes today. I’m Luke Skywalker; Leia is my twin sister,” he explained.

“Oh,” was all Ben said in return.

“Now, have a seat,” he offered Han and Ben the chairs on the other side of his desk. “Now, you’re a junior, correct?” Ben nodded. “Good, good. You’ll be taking US History, it’s a required Junior class, as is an English class. There are a number to choose from for Juniors.” He handed a list to Ben. “Take a look at that and see if there are any that may interest you. You can do a basic Junior English class or you can pick from one of the English based electives.”

“Creative writing?” Ben asked.

“That’s a great choice. It’s taught by Mr. Krennic, he’s great.” Luke filled something in on a paper he had in front of him. “US History is Mr. Tarkin, we’ll figure out where to put that in after we get the rest set up. Looks like you still need a fine arts credit.” He handed a different sheet to Ben. “There are a quite a few you can choose from. Is there anything in particular you might be interested in?”

“Art,” Ben answered as he perused the list. “Is there a pre-req for beginning drawing?”

Luke nodded. “There is, I’m afraid. General Art, but considering the circumstances, we can work around that. If you want to do beginning drawing now, you can do an independent study for your general art credit. Ms. Unamo would be willing to do that. She’s passionate about art.”

Ben nodded. He didn’t want to take on too much. “I’ll just do General Art,” he answered.

“Alright,” Luke said as he wrote on his paper again. “That takes care of three of the six periods. Any other electives you interested in?” He grabbed a third sheet of paper and handed it to Ben. “This is the full elective course list.”

Ben looked over it carefully. “You have an electronics class?” he asked excitedly.

“Sure do. Would you like me to sign you up for it?”

“Yeah,” he answered with more excitement than he’d realized he had.

“Great!” Luke wrote again. “Just two more to fill in.”

Ben chose weight-lifting and Spanish. Luke looked over the choices he’d made and plugged them in where they’d fit in the schedule. He typed a few things into his computer and printed it out for Ben. “We’ve already got a locker assigned for you as well. It’s at the bottom of that sheet. Any questions you have for me?” Ben shook his head. “Alright. I’ll get one of the student assistances in the office to show you around and then you can get your day started.” He stood up, indicating to Ben and Han to do so as well. He extended his hand. “It was really nice to meet you, Ben.”

Ben accepted his handshake. “Yeah.”

He and Han walked out of the small office. “Think you’re gonna be okay, kid?” Han asked him. He nodded. Han smiled. “Alright.” They went to the main office, where Ben was met by another student. She gave him a quick tour of the school, showed him where his locker was, and escorted him to his first class. Everyone looked up as they entered.

“Sorry for interrupting, Mr. Tarkin,” she apologized. “New student.”

“Excellent,” he replied. “Come on in. Your name?” he asked Ben.

“Ben. Ben Organa.”

Mr. Tarkin wrote it down in his notebook. “Very well. There’s no assigned seating, so find an empty desk and make yourself comfortable.”

Ben took a deep breath and looked around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shock of red hair. He turned his attention toward it and saw Armitage. He didn’t necessarily care for the guy, but he felt they were starting to have an understanding between them. After their short bonding over movies the other night, he felt like they may even learn to be friends. He made his way over to him and sat next to him. “Can I see your schedule?” Armitage asked politely. Ben took it from his pocket and handed it to him. Armitage unfolded it and read it. “Looks like Luke decided to put you in most of mine and Poe’s classes.” He handed the list back to Ben. “I suppose he wanted you to have a familiar face.”

Ben accepted the paper back. He didn’t want to tell Armitage that he’d made choices on a lot of the classes, so he just agreed, “Yeah, I guess.”

Armitage continued to whisper to him as Mr. Tarkin lectured on Pearl Harbor. “I can get you up to speed on classwork if you need help with anything,” he offered.

Ben nodded. “Thanks.”

“Mr. Tarkin is a bit of a lecturer, so hope you don’t fall asleep easily,” he joked.

Ben smiled. “Like Poe?” he asked, nodding his head toward the other side of the room, where Poe had his head resting on his hand, propped up by his elbow.

Armitage chuckled. “EXACTLY like that.” He turned his attention back to his notebook where he was taking notes on what Mr. Tarkin was saying. “Mr. Tarkin encourages note taking,” he said to Ben. “Most tests he allows personal notes.”

“Oh, cool,” Ben replied as he pulled his binder from his backpack. He found an empty page, took out a pen, and started writing.

Armitage kept glancing over at him. He was slowly starting to like him. Ben was still a gruesome roommate to be sure; even in the few days he’d been with them, he’d managed to break every room rule Armitage had given him. Leaving dirty towels and clothes in a pile on the floor next to his bed, rather than the laundry hamper. Not closing the closet door all the way after retrieving or replacing something from it. But Armitage was trying to learn to be comfortable in Ben’s little bits of chaos. He actually found it endearing.

He watched as ben scrawled words across a blank page in his binder. His handwriting was atrocious! His letters were blocky and he didn’t space his words out well enough, so it was sometimes difficult to discern where one word started and one word ended. Armitage just shook his head with a smile and went back to his own notes.

All the students quickly gathered their things when the bell rang, indicating the end of the class period. “I can show you were the art room is,” Armitage offered to Ben as he packed away his things in his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“I’ve got to stop by my locker first. You need to go to yours?” Ben just shook his head. Armitage smiled. “You’re rather big on non-verbal communication, aren’t you?” he teased. Ben just shrugged as he followed Armitage out into the hall.

Ben had learned to keep quiet when he was with Snoke. No need to draw attention to himself if he could avoid it. Sometimes, Snoke would leave him be for days at a time, almost completely forgetting his existence. Other times, Ben was lucky if hitting him was the worst that he did. Ben shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. He didn’t want to think of him anymore. He was with a good family, one that seemed to want to love him. He reminded himself not to keep his hopes up though. He’d been there before as well. Settling in with a family that seemed to welcome him with open arms, only to say they couldn’t deal with him.

Ben stood behind Armitage as he went to his locker and opened it, replacing his history book with a calculous book. “Hey, Red,” a big guy in a letterman’s jacket said as he leaned against the locker next to Armitage’s.

Armitage cleared his throat. “Wexley,” he replied. He closed his locker and turned. “Excuse me.”

“What’s your hurry?” another boy, also in a letterman’s jacket said as he stepped in his way.

“Yeah,” Wexley said as he got right behind Armitage and put his arms around him, pulling him close to him. “We just wanted to say hi.”

Ben could see, Armitage cringe. He reacted without thinking and pushed Wexley’s shoulder, forcing him to let go of him. The large boy looked at him in surprise. He was close enough to Ben’s height, but the guy had weight on him that Ben didn’t. “Who the Hell are you? Red’s new boyfriend?” he teased.

“Leave him alone,” Ben nearly growled.

“Look how protective he is over, Ginger,” a third boy mocked.

“I’m hurt, Red,” Wexley said as he pouted his lip. “I thought we had something special.”

“I have to get to class,” Armitage said. He pushed passed the second boy and grabbed Ben by the arm. “Let’s go.”

“See you around, Red!” Wexley called to him and then made kissing noises. He and the other two boys laughed.

Ben and Armitage didn’t say anything to each other as they shuffled through the throng on students making their way to their own classes. “Who was that?” Ben finally asked.

“Snaps Wexley,” Armitage answered. “He and his football player goons have been bothering me since last year when they found out I was gay.”

Ben stopped in his tracks. “You’re gay?” he asked in surprise. 

Armitage stopped and turned to him. “Yeah. I assume it doesn’t bother you, considering.”

Ben shook his head. “No, I just… I didn’t realize. Guess my gay-dar needs retuning.”

Armitage chuckled and turned to proceed down the hall. “It’s not that I keep it a secret or anything, I just don’t broadcast it. My father didn’t take kindly to it when I first came out.”

“Oh,” Ben replied.

They stopped in front of a door. “Well, this is the art room. What was your next class again?”

“Um,” Ben dug the paper out from his pocket. “Electronics with Erso.”

“Great,” he replied. “I’m in that class as well. I’ll meet you here to show you the way.” He turned and walked off. “Later!” he called.

Ben waved, even though Armitage’s back was to him now. “Bye,” he said to the air. He took a deep breath and walked into the class. Ms. Unamo was a pleasant woman, younger than Ben had expected. She was probably a recent college graduate. She made small talk with all the students as they arrived and greeted Ben warmly. She told him what to expect for the class and what materials he would end up needing. Her classroom was arranged in a circle, so Ben found an empty seat and sat down.

Armitage made his way down the halls to get to his next class. He was running late from having to drop Ben off at his classroom, but he knew that his teacher would be willing to let it slide. He always did. Armitage was his favorite student. Which was another reason why Wexley hated him so much; his dad was the calculous teacher. Armitage didn’t mean to get on Wexley’s bad side, but the day his dad made the casual remark that he wished he was smart like Armitage, he’d been painted with a giant target on his back.

He slid into the classroom quietly and sat down in his assigned seat, attempting to draw little to no attention to himself. As he’d anticipated, Mr. Wexley made no remark on his tardiness. He was going over an equation on the board. Armitage pulled out his binder and his book and followed along.

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Armitage met Ben in the hall. He explained the situation to Mr. Wexley and asked if he could leave a few minutes early to make sure he met Ben at his classroom. Armitage gave him a weak smile when he saw him. “How was art class?” he asked.

Ben shrugged. “It was alright. I kind of know it all already, I just HAVE to take the class if I want to do any of the more advanced art classes next year.”

“So, you’re an artist?” Armitage asked interested as they walked down the halls.

Ben shrugged again. “I enjoy art. I doodle from time to time, but I don’t know, I wouldn’t say I’m an artist.”

“You’ll have to show me some of work sometime,” he encouraged.

Ben shook his head, his long, dark hair, falling in his face as he did. “I don’t have anything.”

“Wait, you don’t have, like, a drawing notebook you keep on hand or anything like that?”

Ben answered with the shake of his head yet again.

“Huh? We’ll have to fix that,” Armitage commented as he continued walking.

Ben watched him as they made their way to the shop classrooms. He was about the same height as Ben, but he looked smaller; mostly because of his thinner frame. He couldn’t help thinking about how attractive he was. His copper locks made him stand out and, quite frankly, Ben couldn’t imagine anyone NOT being attracted to red-heads. But it was more than that too. He was really starting to like Armitage. He didn’t have to show Ben to his art class and then pick him up and walk with him to the next one, but he did. Ben often feared that his past trauma would turn him into an awful human being. He didn’t know all of Armitage’s story, but it was obvious that his past hadn’t turned him into a bad person.

Armitage helped Ben get to and from all of his classes that day; they shared a lot of them, so it only made sense. He knew that was how he was justifying it of course, when really, he just wanted to be near him. When he’d admitted to being gay over their board game the other night, he realized he could easily fall for him. He felt they had a shared trauma that few others would understand; parents who hated the fact that they were gay. Granted, Armitage’s father hadn’t kicked him out and forced him to live on the streets, but he beat him. He could still remember the night he’d been caught.

“It’s not what you think, Dad!” Armitage tried to convince him, though, even in the moment he knew it was in vain.

He slapped him again, this time with enough force to drop him to the floor. “And exactly what IS it, Armitage! I come home to you snogging with a boy!” Brendol kicked him in the side and then in the face. “You pathetic, useless, child! You’re disgusting!”

Armitage had tears streaming down his face, mixing with the blood from his nose and somewhere else on his face, he wasn’t certain where. “I’m sorry! Please!”

“Sorry!?” He groaned. “You disgust me.” He kicked him in the face again. “You filthy, fagot, whore!” He continued kicking him as he called him every derogatory slur he could think of. Armitage laid there, in pain; covered in his own blood and tears. “You, pathetic boy,” he whispered with venom. He then turned and marched out of the room. Armitage sobbed, curling in on himself.

It hadn’t been the first time that his father had beat him, but he decided in that moment, it would be the last. He didn’t know what to do, but he couldn’t live like that anymore. When his father had gone to bed, he stole his phone. Armitage wasn’t allowed a phone for himself, nor did Brendol allow a house phone. He called the police himself.

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?” the man on the other end of the line asked.

“Hi, um, hello, uh, yes, I…” he couldn’t say it out loud, doing so made it real.

“Answer yes or no, is there someone there so you can’t talk?”

Armitage’s heart fast. He just blurted it out. “My father beats me!” He began sobbing again. He covered his mouth quickly to try and hide it, not wanting to wake his father.

“We will send an officer to your location immediately. Are you in immediate danger?”

“I… I don’t know. He’s asleep right now.”

“I want you to find somewhere you can hide. A bathroom, your room, anywhere and lock the door behind you. We are sending somewhere to your location as we speak. I’ll stay on the phone with you until the officers arrive.”

He stayed on the phone with Armitage for the ten minutes it took for the police to arrive. He then continued to talk to him after they had come in, found him, and arrested his father. Armitage never learned the operator’s name, but he knew he would always be grateful to him.

Ben’s last class for the day was weight lifting. He wasn’t surprised it was a class that Armitage wasn’t in. He was a little surprised to see Rey in there though. “Ben!” she shouted excitedly as she saw him walk into the weight lifting room. She dashed over to him and threw her arms around his neck. “Hi! I didn’t know you were talking weights!”

She really was excited about everything around her. “Yeah,” was all he replied.

“Well, I’ll talk to Mr. Antellis about showing you the equipment and everything.” She dashed off nearly as quickly as she’d made her way to him. Ben shook his head. He couldn’t grasp having that amount of energy. He went to the boy’s locker room and changed. He stayed laser focused on what was in front of him; his locker, his hands, his clothes. He made a point of not letting his eyes wander. No one there knew he was gay, but once they did, he didn’t want to give them any excuse to say he was some kind of sexual deviant.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Red’s new boyfriend,” Snaps Wexley said as he came to stand next to Ben. Ben glanced over at him and then back at his locker, not saying a word. “Oh, you’re the strong silent type,” Wexley commented.

Ben peeled off his shirt and put it in the locker. “I don’t vocally engage with Neanderthals.”

“You think you can put on this tough, smart persona,” Wexley replied, “but I know what you really are.” He leaned in closer. “You’re a pathetic loser. A totally freak.”

Ben turned to him, face passive. “You like them a little freaky, don’t you, big guy? You see, I can smell a closet case a mile away. That’s why you mess with Armitage. You hate yourself for being queer and can’t accept it, so you take it out on someone who is open and accepting of it themselves, to make yourself feel better about your inability to feel okay within your own body. Now, excuse me, I need to finish getting dressed.” He turned back to the locker, but Wexley grabbed his shoulder and turned him back towards him.

“You say I’m some kind of faggot?!”

Ben shrugged. “I just call them like I see them.” He once again, turned back to his locker. Wexley, again, pushed him by the shoulder to make him face him. Ben had had enough. As he turned, he threw a right hook, hitting Wexley square in the jaw. He stumbled back a step, but then his face colored with rage and he tackled him. Wexley was on top of Ben, punching him in the face. Ben was smart and quick though and had his arms up in front of his face, blocking every jab Wexley tried to hit him with. He waited for his opportunity and when he got a chance, he punched him with his left. Wexley was disoriented for a moment, surprised Ben was able to get a hit in. Ben rolled, pulling Wexley with him. Now Ben was straddling his torso and began wailing on him.

The other boys in the locker room had circled around. Some had their phones out, recording everything that transpired, others chanted “fight, fight, fight” encouraging the two would-be gladiators to continue their brawl. Before Ben knew what was happening, he was being pulled off of Wexley. “That’s enough!” Mr. Antellis shouted as he pulled Ben to his feet. Someone helped Wexley to his feet as well. “Take Mr. Wexley to the nurse,” he instructed the boy next to him. “You, in my office, now,” he told Ben sternly. Ben followed. “Sit.” Ben did as he was instructed. Mr. Antellis sat on the other side of the desk. “Your first day with us and you’re already starting fist fights in the locker room.”

“I didn’t start it!” Ben nearly shouted.

“Be quiet!” Mr. Antellis wasn’t a threatening looking man, but he had power behind his voice that made Ben follow his orders. “I want you to get dressed and go to the vice principle’s office. I’ll let him sort it out.”

Ben stood up. “I didn’t start it,” he tried again.

“You can tell Mr. Kenobi,” he replied.

Ben huffed and stepped out of the office. He went back to his locker and put his shirt back on. He looked down at his hands and noticed there was blood on his knuckles. He’d hurt Wexley. ‘Good,’ he thought. The guy deserved it. He grabbed his backpack and exited the locker room. Rey was standing outside waiting for him. 

“Ben! What happened?” she asked in concern, following him down the hall.

“That Wexley guy is an asshole,” he answered.

“So, you punched him?”

“No,” Ben stopped and turned to her. “Look, he was harassing Armitage earlier and then he was trying to get under my skin in the locker room. I said something that pissed him off so he punched me. Seems he can dish it out, but he can’t take it.” He started walking toward the front office again.

“You think you might have broken his nose,” Rey commented as she followed.

“Well, he deserved it.”

“Ben,” she said as she gently grabbed his arm. He stopped and looked at her. There was sincere concern in her eyes. “Mom and Dad aren’t gonna look kindly on this.”

“I didn’t start anything!” he defended yet again. “He threw the first punch. If I didn’t hit back, he never would have stopped.”

Rey sighed and nodded. “Mom and Dad are still gonna be pissed.”

“Yeah, well, they can just ship me off to someone else and I can be their problem.” Ben tried to turn again, but Rey put her hand on his arm again.

“Mom and Dad aren’t like that,” she assured him. “Oh, they’ll be pissed, but to them, you’re their son now. They’re going to treat you like you were their bio kid, like sending you away wouldn’t be an option. Look, my parents are, well, they care. That’s why they do what they do. Dad was an orphan and ended up on the streets for a long time, until Chewie took him in. Dad knows what it’s like to not have a place to call home. I know he wants to give a home to those who don’t have one, like you. And Mom is just a generally good person. She always wants to help people.”

Ben scoffed. It sounded like he’d walked into a fairy tale. “Your parents are real saints, aren’t they,” he mocked. He just couldn’t believe people could actually be that genuinely good and especially without any motive or anything to gain from it.

Rey shook her head. “It’s not like that.”

“Whatever,” Ben replied and continued down the hall.

“They care about you, Ben,” she shouted after him.

Ben ignored her as he headed for the front office.

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

“Hello?’ Han answered his phone. He was concerned when he saw that it was the school.

“Han? It’s Mr. Kenobi, I have your son in the office right now.”

“Which one? What happened?”

Chewbacca glanced over at him, curious what was happening on the other end of the phone, but he stayed quiet and continued working.

“Ben Organa,” he answered. “It seems he had a bit of a scuffle with another boy in the locker room.”

Han heaved a sigh. “Alright, I’ll come pick him up. Have you talked to Leia yet?”

“No, she’s in a meeting this afternoon.”

“Okay, I’ll tell her. I’m on my way.” He hung up and started packing up his tools.

“Everything alright, comrade?” Chewie asked.

Han shook his head. “Seems Ben got into a fight at school.”

Chewie chuckled. “He’s quite the spitfire, isn’t he? First day and already getting himself into trouble.”

“I know the kid has issues, but I really didn’t think this would happen. Well, at least not this quickly.”

“Perhaps there is more to the story than you think, my friend.”

Han nodded. “Hopefully.” He heaved another deep sigh. “I really hope Leia and I can help this kid. He’s had quite a rough go. The hand life dealt him hasn’t been the prettiest.”

“He seemed like a nice boy,” Chewie replied. “Quiet, but he seemed nice. I’m sure you and Leia are just what he needs.”

‘I sure hope so,’ Han thought to himself.

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Han picked Ben up and waited in the parking lot for the rest of the kids. The school day was almost over, so he just decided to wait. He was quiet and Ben was too. “Are you gonna yell at me?” Ben finally asked, not able to take the silence any longer.

“Nope.”

“Not even a little?”

Han shook his head. “We’ll talk about it later when Leia is home.”

Ben sighed and pressed his forehead against the cool window. “I didn’t start it, ya know.”

Han nodded. “I’m sure.”

“I didn’t!” he shouted as he turned to look at Han.

“Hey, I didn’t say you did.”

Ben turned back to start out the window again. “Yeah, but you think I did.”

“You don’t know what I think.”

“You think what everyone else in the world thinks. That I’m a screw up and can’t do anything right.”

Han was quiet. “What makes you think that everyone thinks that?”

Now it was Ben’s turn to be silent for a moment. “It’s what I’ve always been told. Every foster parent I’ve had has told me that I mess everything up. Maz has said I need to control my temper. And Snoke always said I didn’t deserve anything good in my life.”

“Who’s Snoke?” Han asked curiously.

Ben scoffed. “Like you don’t know.”

“No, I don’t.”

Ben looked over at him. “Maz didn’t say anything?” Han shook his head in answer. “In a lot of ways, Snoke is the reason I’m still alive.”


	5. Let The Past Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben opens up to Han about his past.

“Yes, Kylo, this is what you were made for,” Snoke whispered to Ben as shoved into him from behind. Ben laid there silently, Snoke preferred it that way. He even gave him a stupid name to call him while he forced himself on him, to keep from humanizing him. He grabbed his dark hair and pulled at it, forcing him up. Ben hollered in pain. “No one will ever love you,” Snoke said to him, his breath hot on his ear. “You don’t deserve to be loved.”

That was the last thing Snoke ever said to him. Just at that moment, the door was broken open as several police officers swarmed inside. “What the!” Snoke was pulled off of him. Ben dropped to the bed and turned to see what was going on. It was all a blur really. Snoke often gave him drugs to make him more compliant from time to time. Ben remembered being covered with a blanket, Snoke shouting and screaming as he was put into handcuffs.

“You okay, son?” an officer asked as Snoke was dragged away. Ben didn’t answer. “What’s your name?”

“Kylo. Kylo Ren.”

He’d been taken to the station, given ill-fitting clothes he was certain someone had worn before him; gray sweat pants and a white t-shirt. He was in an interrogation room waiting; for what, he wasn’t sure. It didn’t take long for an officer to come in. He was a tall black man, bald and clean shaven. He sat in the chair across from him. His name badge read Windu. “I’m Officer Windu,” he introduced himself. “I want to remind you that you’re not in trouble here son. We just need some straight answers from you, understand?” Ben nodded. “Now, I need your name.”

“Kylo Ren.”

Windu shook his head. “You see, we ran that name, no one has ever existed under that name before.”

Ben shrugged. “It’s what he called me.”

“How long were you with Snoke?”

Ben shook his head. Time had become such an abstract concept to him. He really didn’t know how long it had been. “I… I… I don’t know.”

Windu sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I want to help you, son, but you gotta help me out here.”

Ben turned to him angrily. “I don’t know, okay? He kept me locked away in that house all the time! I was never allowed to leave. The curtains were always closed, so I never saw if it was even day or night. He… He…” Ben started crying. “He said he was keeping me safe. He didn’t want anyone to find me or else they’d hurt me because they knew.”

“They knew what, son?”

“How disgusting I am! Because of everything I did! Everything he made me do!”

Windu sat forward. “Listen, son. YOU are a victim here. Do you understand that? Whatever he forced you to do, wasn’t your choice.”

“But, I… And I…” He couldn’t stop crying. He knew what he wanted to say, but he didn’t know how. How could he make this man understand that he wanted it? Even when he hated it and it hurt, his body told him it felt good. Snoke told him he must have wanted it or his body wouldn’t have responded that way.

“I wish we could have found him sooner, son. We’ve been trying to put him away for some time. We’re going to need you to testify against him if we’re going to do that, alright?” Ben nodded and wiped his nose; it had started running while he was crying. Windu took out a notepad and a pen. “Can you tell me what he did to you?”

Ben sniffled. “He gave me a place to sleep.”

Windu sighed. “The arresting officer said they caught him on top of you. Did you want to have sex with him?”

“Yes?” Ben replied.

“Is that a question or an answer?”

“Of course, I wanted it. I mean, you know, I got…hard,” he whispered the last word as though he were ashamed.

“So?”

“So, obviously I wanted it.”

Windu looked at him, sympathy covering his face. “Did he tell you that?” He shook his head. “Mother fucker.” He leaned forward and looked Ben in the eyes. “Listen, son, just because your genitals react, doesn’t mean you want it or that it’s okay. Do you understand me?”

“But, I-”

“No. Did it feel good? When he had sex with you?” Ben shook his head. “Did you ever ask him to have sex with you? Or tell him he could?” Ben shook his head again. “Having sex with someone when they haven’t agreed to it is called rape. I don’t care if your dick DID get hard. If you didn’t agree to it, he raped you. Did he rape you?”

Ben started sobbing. “Yes!” That was the first time anyone had told him that what had happened to him wasn’t his fault. He was taken to the hospital and treated for his continued sexual assault. He was also treated for malnourishment, as that Snoke only fed him when he ‘behaved or performed adequately’. He was checked for STIs, not only because of having unprotected sex with Snoke, but Snoke also let some of his ‘associates’ fool around with him from time to time. He wasn’t surprised when the doctor told him he had HIV.

His parents were located eventually and they refused to take him back. They immediately signed any and all paperwork to relinquish their parental rights to him. Ben wasn’t surprised by it in the least, but it still broke his heart when the judge said it was finalized. He was now a ward of the state.

It was difficult to find him a placement because of his angry outbursts, his positive HIV diagnosis, and his frequent masturbation. That was one of the reasons he’d been labeled a “sexually reactive youth”. There weren’t many foster parents who could handle him.

Ben looked over at Han, when he finished his story. He didn’t know how the man was going to react. Han just nodded and looked out the window. “Maz didn’t tell us how bad it was. She did say you’d been sexually abused and that your parents kicked you out because you were gay, but I didn’t know about this Snoke guy.” Ben saw that Han’s hand was on the steering wheel. He was grasping it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. “I’d like to kill him,” he whispered.

Ben looked away. “I know it’s messed up, but there’s a part of me that’s grateful to him. If he hadn’t taken me in, I’d still be on the streets. I may even be dead. Or I could have been picked up by sex traffickers and forced into sex slavery.”

“HE forced you into sex slavery!” Han yelled.

“I know,” Ben replied quietly. “But being with him was better than if I were being trafficked.”

Han sighed heavily. “That still doesn’t make it okay.”

“I know.” He paused. “I’m sorry about getting into a fight. I didn’t hit him until he hit me though. I was just trying to defend myself.”

Han looked at him skeptically. “Mr. Kenobi said you were on top of the guy, wailing on him.”

“I was trying to finish it,” Ben explained. “He would have gotten back up and tried kicking my ass again.”

“What even started the fight?”

Ben sighed. “He’d been messing with Armitage earlier and then he was talking shit to me in the locker room.”

Han groaned. “Was it Wexley again?”

Ben was surprised that he knew. “Yeah.”

He shook his head. “Armie has had problems with that guy for a while. We can’t ever prove anything and he’s a big football star, so he’s got status that no one wants to deal with.” Han sighed. “One day, that kid is gonna grow up and find out that high school doesn’t matter.”

Ben scoffed. “Yeah,” he agreed. They stayed there in the van silently and waited for the other kids to get out of school.

Rey and Rose were staying after for play rehearsals, so it was just Armitage, Poe and Finn. Poe was the first one out to the van. “Hey,” he said as he climbed in, “I heard you messed up Wexley’s face in weight class.”

“Poe,” Han said sternly, “what happened is none of your business, so keep your mouth shut.”

Poe laughed. “Okay.”

Finn showed up next. He said hello and crawled into the back seat. “Heard about your fight with Wexley,” he said.

“How does everyone know!?” Ben asked.

“News travels fast,” he answered. “You break his nose?”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Han said.

Poe hit Ben in the shoulder. “You get in any trouble?”

“Mr. Kenobi said I’m gonna have to serve detention for a week.”

“Did Dad ground you too?” he asked.

Ben glanced at Han. “Not yet.”

“We’ll talk about it when we get home,” Han answered.

Armitage opened the door and got in without a word. “You’re awfully quiet,” Poe commented.

Armitage just glanced out the window. “I’m just tired and ready to go home.”

Han turned the key over, starting the van. “Well, that’s where we’re headed.” Everyone was quiet on the drive back to the house. Ben looked at Armitage in the mirror. He seemed dismal. When they got to the house, he immediately went straight to his room.

“Geez,” Poe said, “what crawled up his shorts?”

Han sighed. “I’ll go talk to him.” He set his keys on the coffee table and went upstairs.

“So, what happened?” Poe asked Ben excitedly.

“What?”

“When you beat the shit out of Wexley! That guy is such an ass.”

Ben shrugged. “He said some things I didn’t care for. He didn’t like what I had to say in return, so he punched me.”

Poe chuckled. “I would have loved to see you kick his ass.”

“Why does he have beef with Armitage?” Ben asked.

Poe shrugged. “Tage is kind of an easy target. He doesn’t really fight back and Snaps is just a bully.”

Ben nodded. He wondered if there was more to it than that.

***

Han knocked on the door before he came in. They had an open-door policy in the house, but Han still felt it was important to announce that he was there before he just walked in. “Hey, you want to talk about it?”

Armitage stood by the window, looking out of it. “I heard about Ben’s fight with Wexley. As soon as he’s back in school, he’s gonna kill me.”

Han sighed. “I wish you’d stand up to him.”

Armitage turned to him. “Have you seen him? They guys got like a hundred pounds on me!”

Han nodded. “I wish there was more I could do for you, kid.”

“I don’t think he’ll ever stop.” He paused. “I really liked him, ya know. And I thought we were good together, but he refused to come out and I couldn’t be in that kind of relationship.”

“I know,” Han said as he went to Armitage and put his arms around him. “Young love ain’t easy.”

Armitage put his arms around him in return. “I know that if he just came out, he’d be so much happier. I was. Even with my father hurting me like he did, I was happier in my own skin.” Armitage could feel tears welling up in his eyes. “I just wish…”

Han held him tightly. “I know, kid. I know.”

***

Over dinner, Rey talked about rehearsal. Han was always happy to see his kids light up when they talked about what they were passionate about. Rey had the stage and Rose had the backstage. Phasma had her soccer while Poe had his way of having a little bit of everything; a jack of all trades in his own right. Finn was still trying to figure out his passion, but Han enjoyed watching him try to find it and helping him on the way.

Han told Leia about Ben’s fight when they climbed into bed together that night. “I really think he was just trying to defend Armie,” he mentioned as he climbed under the covers.

Leia looked at him over her reading glasses. “Still, fighting is fighting. I know he’s just come to live with us, but I really think he needs to be grounded.”

Han shrugged. “I think a warning should be good for now.” He grabbed the hair brush off of the side table and started to brush out Leia’s hair. It was a ritual they’d had since they were first together. He loved Leia dearly and wanted to treat her like a princess. “I talked to Armie too. I feel bad for the kid. He’s still heart-broken over Wexley.”

Leia sighed. “I know, but he can’t force him to come out. I just don’t understand how in this day and age coming out as gay is still a big issue. It’s more accepted than it’s ever been in history.”

“But there’s still a lot of bigotry,” Han commented back. “I mean, look at what happened to Armie with his father and Ben’s parents.” He paused. “He told me more of what happened before he went into foster care.”

Leia turned to look at him. “Do I want to know?”

He shook his head. “He’s had a rough go. I really hope we can be the parents he needs.”

Leia smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “You’re a terrific dad. He already seems happier than the first day he walked through our front door.”

“I just hope we can keep it that way.”


	6. Autumn Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage recalls his past with Wexley as he goes to him to try and fix things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know the tags say "no smut", but this chapter gets a bit smutty, but it's not super explicit. I also tried to tag a relationship between Hux and Wexley, but I guess no one else has ever put them together before, so I can't figure out how to tag it. Any way, hope you enjoy this chapter.  
> Also, if you are following Gingerbread, I will be posting a new chapter for it as well very soon!

-One Year Ago-

Armitage meandered among the other people there, a traditional red solo cup in his hand. He couldn’t figure out how he’d let Poe talk him into going to yet another party, but it seemed he had. He’d lost Poe in the throng of people some time ago, so he made his way outside to the backyard. There was a fire pit going with a few people standing and sitting around it. Most everyone was drinking, just like everyone inside, but it seemed like a much calmer atmosphere out there.

Armitage skirted around the outside of the group of people and found an empty log meant to be a seat and took it. He stared into the fire absent-mindedly. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed when someone came sat next to him. “Hey,” the boy sitting next to him said to get his attention. He looked over and saw Temmin Wexley sitting there.

Armitage gave him a casual smile. “Hey,” he said in return.

“You enjoying the party?” Temmin asked.

Armitage shrugged and took a sip from his cup. He wasn’t fond of most alcohol, especially the cheap beer they most often served at parties like this one, but it gave him something to do. He finally glanced over at Temmin. He didn’t know much about him. He was a football player; built like he was born to play the game with a broad physic and weight that was more likely muscle than anything else. “How about yourself?” he finally asked.

Temmin shrugged in turn. “I come because I’m expected to. This really isn’t my scene to be completely honest.”

Armitage smiled from behind his cup as he took another sip. It wasn’t his scene either. “Where would you rather be?”

Temmin moved in his seat, making himself more comfortable as he thought. “Well, I definitely don’t want to be home. What teenager wants to be home? Right?”

“I’D much rather be home,” Armitage commented.

Temmin looked at him thoughtfully. “So, why aren’t you?”

It was a good question. Armitage shook his head. “My brother dragged me along. He loves going to things like this. I really don’t see the appeal myself.”

Temmin shrugged. “Parties mean alcohol, drugs, girls, sex. You name it, it’ll be there.”

Armitage smiled. “Well, my palette is a bit more refined. I’d much rather a nice red wine over this swill. Drugs don’t interest me in the slightest. Girls either for that matter, but I can’t say I’d be opposed to sex if the right partner came along.”

He looked at Armitage curiously. “But you just said you’re not interested in girls.” He paused. “Oh! I gotchya. No worries, that’s cool. To each their own, as they say.”

They talked together well into the night, sitting on the log by the fire. When Armitage had suggested returning inside because it was cold, Temmin immediately took off his letterman’s jacket and put it on him. “Won’t you be cold?” Armitage worried.

He shook his head and smiled. “I’m like a walking heater. I mostly wear it for the prestige,” he joked. Armitage realized he liked seeing Temmin smile and his jacket smelled heavenly. He wasn’t sure if the alcohol had finally made his head fuzzy, but it occurred to him that he might be flirting with him.

Armitage looked at his phone. “It’s late, I should probably be heading home.” He stood up and Temmin did as well.

“Are you driving?”

Armitage shook his head. “My brother drove. I’m not far from here anyway, I figured I’d walk.”

“Well, let me walk you,” he offered.

Was he flirting?! Armitage wasn’t sure any more. He wanted to decline the offer, but as though without his consent, his lips moved and he said, “Okay, sure.” He texted Poe, telling him he was walking home and to have fun.

As they walked, Armitage couldn’t help noticing how close Temmin walked next to him. He didn’t mind in the least; he was more than attracted to him. He was one of those guys who seemed to have his hormones kick in earlier than anyone else and he’d had a full beard since Freshman year. At least that’s what he told Armitage. “I don’t believe you!” Armitage called him out.

“I swear!” he argued back. “I’ve been shaving since I was like, twelve!”

Armitage smiled. “Well, seems like you hit the genetic lottery, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Look at you! You’re built like a brick house! You’re solid, man! You’ve got dark thick hair I could just bury my fingers in and the beard of a full-grown man. And you’re tall! God! I’d love to kiss you and feel your arms around me!” Armitage stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn’t believe he’d said that out loud. He must have drunk more than he’d realized. He looked over at him. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“So, you ARE into me,” he teased as he stepped forward. He wrapped his strong arms around him and pulled him close. “What else would you like to do with me?” he whispered seductively.

Armitage couldn’t believe this was happening, but he figured he may as well jump in with both feet. He returned the embrace. “Well, you’ve already taken you jacket off for me. I’d love to find out what else you’d be willing to take off for me.”

He smiled and then leaned in and kissed Armitage. He closed his eyes as Temmin pressed his lips to his. They were slightly chapped from the cool autumn air, but then they were moistened as he slipped his tongue between Armitage’s lips. He opened his mouth willingly. He’d kissed a few boys before; fooled around some with boys who wanted to experiment, but Temmin knew what he was doing and it felt amazing.

Armitage pulled back, trying to catch his breath. “Well, that’s definitely not how I expected my evening to go.”

Temmin rubbed his back gently. “You don’t sound too terribly disappointed.”

He smiled and looked down at his shoes. “I’m not.” Temmin touched his chin with his other hand, and gently guided his face upward again.

“You have gorgeous eyes,” he commented. “I think I could stare in those eyes for hours.”

He chuckled. “You’re sweet.”

“Not as sweet as you taste,” he replied and leaned forward for another kiss. Armitage reached his hands up and ran them through his hair as they continued to make-out on the sidewalk. Temmin dropped his hands to his hips and pulled him even closer. Armitage could feel his own hardness pressed against Temmin’s and he ground his hips in more, forcing a pleased moan from his partner.

Temmin was the one to pull away this time. “We should probably get going.” He pulled away and started walking, pulling Armitage along by the hand. “Don’t you have a curfew or something?” he teased.

They held hands as they walked the rest of the way. Armitage felt like he was in a dream. When they reached his house, Temmin pulled him in for another quick kiss. “I’ve had a good time,” he commented.

“I have as well.” He paused. “Perhaps we can see each other again some time?” he suggested hopefully.

He shrugged. “I’m not doing anything tomorrow. I could come over if you wanted to hang out or something.”

Armitage smiled. “Yeah, or something.” He gave Temmin another kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” He started to remove the jacket, but Temmin stopped him.

“Keep it. At least until tomorrow.” He chuckled. “It gives me an excuse to come over.”

Armitage chuckled in return. “Indeed. Well, have a good night then.”

Temmin stood by the front gate and watched as Armitage went inside. He tried to be quiet as he stepped over the threshold. He really didn’t want to face his mom or dad at the moment. What he really wanted was to go to his room and wank to the thought of everything he’d like to do with Temmin.

He noticed the light in Han and Leia’s room was on, so he tiptoed as he made his way to the staircase. Suddenly, their door burst open and Leia stood there with an angry expression on her face. “Armitage! Where have you been?! Do you even realize what time it is?”

He shook his head. “No, I’m sorry, I-”

She strode over to him, where he was frozen on the bottom step. “Your father and I have been worried sick about you! Poe was home hours ago! Where have you been?!”

“I’m sorry!” he apologized again. “I walked home. I’d had a bit to drink, so I didn’t want to drive and I knew the house wasn’t far, so I thought I’d just walk.” He looked down at the floor. “I’m sorry I made you worry. I should have called or texted, but I didn’t even think. I’m sorry.”

Leia sighed heavily and took a step closer. She cupped his face in her hands and made him meet her gaze. “We were just worried about you, sweetie.” She rested her forehead against his. “I’m glad you decided to not drive after drinking. That was very responsible. Next time though, will you PLEASE let us know where you are? We were really worried.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll makes sure to call or text next time.”

Leia smiled. “Okay.” She kissed his forehead. “Go on up to bed now and get some sleep.” He nodded and turned to go up the stairs. “I love you, Armie,” she called to him when he was half way up the stairs.

He stopped and looked back at her. “Night,” he replied and then went to his room. He closed the door behind himself once he was inside. He’d been with Han and Leia for nearly three years, and even though he saw them as his parents, he still had a hard time saying those three little words. ‘I love you’ still felt strange on his lips. He DID care for them! Deeply! But he just couldn’t yet bring himself to say it out loud.

He sighed as he undressed. He pulled his shoes off and put them in the closet. He paused there, not sure if he should hang up Temmin’s jacket or not. He pulled it from his shoulders and looked at it. It was black and orange; their school colours, with Temmin’s nickname on the back ‘Snaps’. He had a very firm throw that almost seemed like it snapped right out of his hand, so that’s what his teammates called him.

Armitage put the jacket on his bed and finished undressing, making sure his dirty clothes went into the laundry hamper. He then pulled a fresh pair of pajama pants from his dresser and a t-shirt. He got dressed and then crawled under the covers, pulling the jacket up around himself like a blanket.

He looked at his phone and smiled when he saw a text from Temmin. They’d exchanged numbers some time along their walk. It was a picture of him, the sunrise in the background with a message. “Got home. Hope you sleep well. See you later!”

Armitage texted him back. “You too. See you soon enough.” He closed his phone and set it on the nightstand by his bed. He’d planned on having a wank, but found his hard-on was gone and he really was tired. He closed his eyes and went to sleep instead.

***

-Present Day-

Armitage thought about that first night they’d had together and many others as he walked up the stone path to the front door. He knocked and waited. Mr. Wexley answered. “Armitage?”

He smiled. “Hey, uh, is Temmin home?”

“Yeah, he’s studying in his room.” He stepped aside and let him in.

“Thanks. I shouldn’t be long.”

“Take as long as you need, son,” he said and went back to the dining room.

Armitage took a deep breath and went down the hall. Temmin’s door was open. He was sitting on his bed playing on his phone. Armitage knocked. He looked up, surprised at someone being there. He laid his head back down. “What do YOU want?”

He stepped inside. “I came to talk to you.”

Temmin sat up. “I really don’t think I have anything to say to you.”

Armitage sighed. “Temmin, don’t be like that.”

“Like what? YOU’RE the one who said we were done.”

“Hardly. I gave you a choice and YOU chose to break up.”

He scoffed. “Well, you didn’t give me much of a choice. Given the options, breaking up was the better of two evils.”

“You’d still rather be miserable and unhappy than to be out and with me.”

He stood up. “I can’t come out! You know that!”

Armitage stepped forward. “You CAN!” he argued back. “You just choose not to. I still don’t understand why.”

“You think any of my friends will still want to be friends with me if they knew I was a raging homo?”

“If they’d stop being your friends because you came out, they were never really your friends in the first place.”

Temmin sighed. “We’ve had this argument before.”

Armitage nodded. “I know.” He leaned against the wall. “And neither of us are going to convince the other.”

He nodded. “So, what did you come over for? Obviously not to argue.”

“I wanted to ask you to leave Ben alone.”

Temmin rolled his eyes. “He your new boyfriend then?”

“No, he’s my new foster brother.”

“But you want him to be,” he replied glumly.

Armitage shook his head. “It really doesn’t matter what I want of him. It’s really none of your business.”

He looked at Armitage, meeting his gaze. “I still care about you, ya know?”

Armitage looked away. He wanted to believe him. Hell, he wanted to be WITH him, but he had told him that he needed to come out; that he couldn’t be with someone who hid his orientation and thus their relationship as well. “Temmin…”

He stood up and walked over to him. He put a hand on his cheek and made him look at him. “I DO still care about you,” he said again and then leaned forward and kissed him.

Armitage felt like he was on fire, but in a good way. Being with Temmin always made him light up. Feeling his large hands on him and his seemingly always chapped lips pressed against his own always felt amazing. He reached up and wove his fingers into his hair. He loved Temmin’s dark locks. He chuckled to himself realizing tall dark and handsome was his type.

Temmin pressed into him as they continued to kiss. He reached down and started undoing Armitage’s pants. He gently pushed him away. “Hey, what are you doing?”

He kissed his chin, his cheek, his lips. “I want you.”

He sighed, frustratedly. “Temmin-”

“Don’t you want me too?” he asked in a whisper close to his ear. He kissed his neck and sucked on it, making his way to his collar bone. Armitage closed his eyes and leaned his head back. It had been so long and it felt amazing.

“The door,” he instructed.

Temmin smiled and pulled away. He closed the door and came back to Armitage, kissing and sucking at his neck where he’d left off. He reached down again and started undoing his pants. When he divested him of his jeans and underpants, he dropped to his knees. Armitage laced his fingers in his hair again as he took him into his mouth. He tried to hold back his moans of pleasure, not wanting Temmin’s dad to hear them, but it was getting harder and harder. He finally covered his mouth with one hand to force himself to be quiet. He was glad he did, because he came soon after.

Temmin sucked it down and then pulled off, looking up at him with a grin. Armitage had almost forgotten what that smile looked like. They were both breathing heavily. “You… Want to… Finish?” Armitage asked.

“Hell yeah, I do.” He stood up.

“How do you want me?”

“Over the desk,” he answered. He helped Armitage shuffle over to the desk, who leaned over it.

“You better have lube,” he said.

“Of course.”

Armitage made himself comfortable as he leaned over the desk, his ass toward Temmin. “Be gentle with me, it’s been a while,” he requested.

Temmin stood behind him and leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Of course.” He then pressed a well lubed finger along his crack and then inside. Armitage sighed in pleasure. Temmin took his time, slowly adding another finger and then a third before Armitage told him he thought he was ready. He slicked himself up, grabbed at Armitage’s hips, and slowly pressed in. “You okay?” he asked once he was fully sheathed in.

Armitage took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah. Go ahead.” He closed his eyes and started moaning again once he started to slowly thrust in and out. It really had been a while since he’d done this. Temmin was the last one. He wasn’t one to fool around with anyone. He made out with a few boys every once in a while, and would even exchange hand jobs, but this was different. Armitage couldn’t help it. Perhaps he was just a helpless romantic, but he really thought penetration was something you should only do with someone you truly trusted and perhaps even… Loved. Yes, he knew he loved Temmin, that’s why it had broken his heart when he hadn’t been willing to come out for him. He was pulled from his thought, when he felt Temmin’s hand on his cock.

“You’re getting hard again already,” he commented. “Think I could ring another one out of you?”

Armitage chuckled. “You’re welcome to try.” He obviously took that as a challenge because he grabbed him by the hips again and lifted him off of the floor. Armitage bit his lip to keep from making too much noise. He was hitting his prostate with every thrust at that angle. He knew he was going to come again before this was all over.

“You… Almost… There?” Temmin asked.

“I’m so… So close,” he moaned out.

“I don’t think I can… Hold on… Much longer.” With those words, Armitage came hard against the desk. “Just a… Little… More!” Temmin came right then. He breathed heavily as he set Armitage’s legs down. “Give me a minute.” He didn’t pull out entirely, but he pulled back enough to peel his shirt off and handed it to Armitage.

“Thanks,” he said as he took it and cleaned himself and the desk up. He handed it back and then he pulled out slowly and cleaned up as well. He pulled his pants back up and sat on his bed.

“Fuck, I’ve missed that,” he sighed.

Armitage dressed as well and turned around. “Me too.” He looked over at him. “I didn’t come over for that, ya know.”

Temmin smiled at him. “I don’t think I hear you complaining.”

Armitage chuckled with a grin. “No, I suppose not.” He paused. “Temmin, will you please leave Ben alone?”

“You really like this guy, don’t you?” he asked glumly.

“You really don’t have any right to be jealous, you know,” he reminded him. “You could have me entirely but you refuse to do what I ask.”

He shook his head. “You know I won’t come out.”

“I know,” he said in a disappointed whisper. “Regardless of my feelings about Ben, he’s a part of my family now and I would appreciate it if you would leave him alone. I’m not saying you have to go out of your way to be nice to him or anything, just don’t try to start shit.”

He sighed. “Yeah, okay. Just do me one little favor?”

Armitage crossed his arms. “What?”

He grinned. “Kiss me again?”

This made Armitage laugh. He walked over to him and straddled his lap. He pulled his face into his hands and kissed him deeply. He pulled away and with a smile, whispered, “You’re insufferable.”


	7. Lunch and Books

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Han spends the day with Ben, who opens up more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter feels really short to me, so sorry about that, but wanted to keep up with my weekly update. Thank you all for following along! Hope this chapter is enjoyable for you. As always, comments and kudos and even subscribing inspire me to keep writing! Love you all!

Ben had been suspended for the day for getting into a fight, so he was stuck at home all day. Han took the day off to be with him at the house. Leia wanted to ground him for a week as well, but Han convinced her it wasn’t necessary. “He’s still getting comfortable around here; what would we really be grounding him from? Getting to know his new family?”

Leia sighed. “You know Poe is gonna be pissed if Ben gets away with fighting at school without any kind of punishment.”

“It’s none of Poe’s business how we deal with any of the other kids.”

Leia crossed her arms. “If Poe got into a fight, you’d be grounding him for a month.”

Han shrugged. “I just don’t feel like grounding Ben is the answer.”

“Alright,” Leia relented, “I’ll let you make the call on this one, but if Poe comes to me mad because he doesn’t feel like we’re being fair, YOU’RE going to deal with him.”

Han chuckled. “Agreed.”

To appease Leia’s desire for some form of punishment, he had Ben help him with a few projects around the house. He didn’t complain, just did whatever Han asked of him; whether it was to take the garbage out, to vacuum the shop, or just hold tools for him while he fixed something.

“What do you say we go and grab some lunch?” Han suggested.

Ben shrugged. “Sure.”

Han smiled. “You’re easy to please, kid. I like it.” He took Ben to a little restaurant in town that he’d been going to since he was younger, The Cantina. “They have some of the best fry sauce in town and their burgers are amazing. They’re big and always juicy-”

“Aren’t I being punished for the fight at school?”

Han sighed. “Look, kid, I understand what happened and I really don’t think you’ll do it again. Having you home for the day is mostly a formality to make everyone happy and feel like things are being dealt with appropriately. Would you rather be grounded and made to do chores or something?”

“No,” Ben answered quickly.

Han chuckled. “Then stop complaining!”

As they entered the restaurant, Ben felt completely out of his element. It was loud and curtains were drawn so the lighting was dim, but the air smelled delicious. Han asked for a booth for two and the hostess took them to a booth in the corner of the room. “Jessica will be your server today. She’ll be right with you.” She turned and went back to the front of the house.

“So, you settling in okay so far?” Han asked.

Ben shrugged. “More or less.”

“How’s rooming with Armitage?”

“He’s fine,” Ben answered.

“He can be hard to deal with sometimes,” Han admitted. “I mean, with his OCD and everything, he can be difficult to live with, but he’s a good kid and I know he’s trying hard to make you feel comfortable.”

Ben nodded as he stared off into the distance. It was still strange to feel so welcomed in this home. He was usually seen as too much of a hassle. Hell, most homes he was in, if he’d gotten into a fight on the first day of school, they’d have shipped him off to another home the very next day, not taken him out to lunch. He looked back at Han and said, “Rey told me that you were adopted.”

Han chuckled. “She did, did she? Well, it’s a complicated story.”

“I’d like to hear it,” Ben offered as he made himself more comfortable.

“Well, to make a long story short, I lost my parents when I was really young.” He stared down at his hands as he recounted his story. “I don’t even remember them really. I was shipped off from one home to another for the first two years after they’d died.” He looked up and met Ben’s eyes. “Honestly, you remind me a lot of myself when I was younger. I think that may be why I go so easy on you, kid. Anyway, Chewie adopted me when I was about nine. Looking at the guy, you’d never guess there was a big softie under there,” he chuckled. “But the guy is a real teddy bear. He took one look at me and said, ‘Son, I’ll be your papa. I swear on my life, I’ll take care of you from now on’.” Han had imitated Chewie’s thick Russian accent, which drew a smile to Ben’s lips.

“He DOES seem real nice,” Ben added.

Just then, the waitress approached and asked if she could take their orders. They ordered drinks and asked for a few minutes to look over the menu. Han enjoyed lunch out with Ben. He was still rather quiet, but he seemed more willing to open up when it was just the two of them. He learned that Ben was fond of anime and manga, that the art was what really drew him to it. He was a bit of an artist and writer himself. “I’d love to be a comic book writer,” he said over another plate of the endless curly fries he’d ordered.

“I used to be into comic books when I was your age.” He laughed. “Passed that love onto Rey. What’s your poison? Marvel or DC?”

“Dark Horse,” Ben answered.

Han smiled. “Bold choice. Got a favorite?”

“Hellboy is great and I LOVE ‘The Umbrella Academy’,” he answered. “Gerard Way is just brilliant! And Gabriel Bá is just so talented.” Ben chuckled. “And I’m a HUGE My Chemical Romance fan.”

Han laughed at that. “Fair enough. We’ve watched the series on Netflix. I like it pretty well.”

Ben sat forward in his seat, bursting with excitement. “The casting for that show is amazing! Klause is spot on and Diego is just perfection!”

It felt nice to Ben to be able to talk to someone about something he had an interest in. He was slowly growing to like Han. It seemed he really did care and Ben was warming up to the idea of having someone around who cared about him.

That night, after dinner, Rey invited Ben to her room to show him her comic book collection. Ben stood by the door awkwardly. “Are you going to come in?” she asked.

“Am I ALLOWED to come in?” he asked. “I mean, you’re a girl.”

Rey rolled her eyes. She went to him and grabbed his hand. “Come on,” she said as she pulled him inside. “Have you read Marvel Zombies?” She let go of his hand and went to her bookshelf. “It’s one of my favorites.”

Ben shook his head. “No.”

“You HAVE to read them!” She pulled a few off of her shelf. “Here, these are the first two. Try them and see what you think. Do you like Sandman?”

“By Neil Gaimin? I LOVE him! His books too.”

Rey’s face lit up. “What’s your favorite? Mine is ‘The Graveyard Book’.”

“I don’t think I know that one,” Ben replied.

“What?!” She turned back to her shelf and pulled another book down. “Take this one too. It is SO good. Do you like Coraline? Or have you not read that one either?”

Ben laughed. “I have. I liked it.”

“Well, I feel this one is on par with Coraline.”

“Cool, I’ll check it out. I think my favorite Neil Gaimin is American Gods. I also like a lot of his short stories, like ‘A Study in Emerald’ and ‘How to Talk to Girls at Parties’.”

“I haven’t had a chance to read any of his short stories,” Rey replied.

“You really should, if you get the chance. Really, he’s amazing no matter what he does.”

Rey smiled. “That’s true.” She squealed. “I’m so excited to have someone to talk to about this kind of stuff!”

“No one else is into comic books or reading?”

Rey shrugged as she sat on her bed. “Not really. I mean, Tage enjoys reading, but he's so stiff about things sometimes he often takes the fun out of them.”

Ben laughed. “Yeah, he does seem a little uptight.”

Rey shook her head. “Don't get me wrong, I love him! He’s just so… Concerned about things all the time. I feel he often makes a mountain out of a mole hill.”

Ben laughed hard. “That’s an expression I haven’t heard in a long time.”

Rey smiled. “You’ve met my mom; she says stuff like that all the time.”

Ben nodded. “Well, thanks for the books. I’ll let you know what I think.”

“Take your time! I hope you enjoy them.”

“I’m sure I will. Night.” Ben headed to his room. Armitage was already there. He was organizing the closet and straightening the clothes hanging there.

“Hey,” he said without looking at him.

Ben set the books on his dresser and replied, “Hey.”

Armitage paused, heaving a heavy sigh. He turned to Ben and said, “Look, I wanted to let you know that I talked to Wexley. He won’t be bothering you again.”

“You TALKED to him?” Ben was confused. “I thought the guy hated you.”

Armitage licked his lips. Ben noticed it was a nervous tick he had. It was endearing and quite frankly, rather sexy. “We used to be friends. We had a disagreement and stopped associating. He picks on me because he’s still angry with me, but we can talk civilly when it’s just him and I.”

“Oh,” Ben replied.

“Anyway, he shouldn’t be bothering you anymore. Just stay out of his way and he’ll stay out of yours.”

“HE got in MY way,” Ben replied defensively.

“I realize that,” Armitage replied. “Just… He’ll leave you alone now.”

“Is he gonna leave YOU alone?”

Armitage looked down at the floor. “I don’t know. Our relationship is… Complicated.”

Ben sat on his bed. “Sounds like he’s just a dick to me.”

Armitage nodded in agreement. “You’re not wrong there, but he can be… Well, much nicer. Like I said, we used to be friends. I saw him in a softer light.”

Ben scoffed. “I don’t think you can convince me that he’s some kind of good guy.”

“And I don’t want to,” Armitage assured him. “I just wanted you to know that you shouldn’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Ben nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Armitage replied. He then went to his dresser and took out some sleep pants and a t-shirt and started to change. Ben tried not to watch him, but he couldn’t help it. He was lean and beautiful and now that he knew he was gay too, he started wondering every time he did almost anything if he was flirting with him. “You going to be up for a while?” he asked as he climbed into bed.

“No, I should be going to sleep too,” he answered.

“Mind grabbing the light before you head to bed?”

“Sure.” Ben stood up and got dressed for bed too. He glanced over at Armitage a few times as he changed and wasn’t sure if he saw him watching him. He finished dressing and turned off the light before sliding into bed. “Night,” he said.

“Night,” Armitage replied drowsily. “Sleep well.”


	8. No Strings Attatched

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage skips class and is caught in a compromising situation with Ben.  
> Ben learns what it really means to be a part of the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry there wasn't an update last weekend! I was sick all week and barely had the energy to do basic housework, let alone do any writing. As always, I hope you enjoy this latest update!

Wexley had been suspended for the week, so he was home alone. He kept thinking about what had happened with Armitage the day before. He knew he was still into him; they only broke up because he was trying to force him to come out and he just wasn’t ready.

He was bored being at home alone, so he decided to text him.

Snaps: Hey! I’m suspended for the rest of the week. I’m at home alone ;) And my dad is at school all day. You should play hooky and come over!

Armitage texted back soon after.

Armitage: I CAN’T!

Snaps: Please! :’( I’m so BORED!

Armitage: Maybe you should have thought about that before you decided to pick a fight with someone.

Snaps: Come on! Just skip a few classes then. No one has to know. Skip my dad’s class, he won’t care.

Wexley waited, holding his breath.

Armitage: Fine. I’ll be over later.

Wexley smiled. He was excited he was going to see Armitage again.

When Armitage arrived, Wexley invited him in quickly. “Hey! I’m so glad you decided to come over.” He pulled him close and kissed him. He felt Armitage smile into the kiss, but he then pulled away.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “We’re not doing this.”

“Doing what?” Snaps asked in an attempt to sound innocent.

Armitage gave him a stern look. “You know EXACTLY what. I’m not going to be your boyfriend again if you’re not going to come out.”

Wexley chuckled. “Who said anything about being together?” He pulled him close to him again and rubbed his back with his hands. “I know you miss me and you miss THIS. Why can’t we just fool around and have fun?”

Armitage smiled and shook his head. “A no-strings-attached relationship?”

“Why not?!”

Armitage sighed. “That means if I DO decide to go out with someone else, you can’t get in the way of it.”

Wexley knew there wasn’t much of anyone else to go out with. “Absolutely!”

“Even if you THINK there’s something going on with me and someone else, you can’t harass them.”

He nodded. “Agreed.”

Armitage shook his head. “I’m an idiot, aren’t I?” He leaned in and kissed Wexley again. This time, Wexley smiled in the middle of the kiss. Without pulling away, he dragged him to the couch and pulled him down with him. They kissed and touched each other for a while, until Wexley reached down and started undoing Armitage’s pants. He pulled away from their kiss. “Hey!”

“What?” he laughed.

“No,” was all he said, his face stern.

“Why not?”

“I still have to get back to school before the end of the day. I really don’t have time for anything more than this,” he explained as he leaned in and kissed him again. He pulled away and added. “This is nice anyway.”

“It’d be nicer if it were more,” Wexley encouraged.

Armitage shook his head. “I don’t want anything more right now.”

“Come on!”

“No,” he replied emphatically.

“Then why don’t you get me off at least?” he asked. He kissed him again and grabbed his hand, pulling it to his groin. “Or suck me off. Something! Please!”

“I don’t want to,” Armitage answered.

Wexley pouted. “Please. Pretty please?”

Armitage sighed. “Fine.” He got himself comfortable and started to take Wexley’s pants off. It wasn’t that Armitage didn’t enjoy this; he just didn’t want to at the moment. But he always found it difficult to hold his resolve against Wexley. They were both stubborn, but Wexley was far more stubborn than he ever was.

After they finished, they cuddled on the sofa together for a while, until Armitage finally sat up. “I really have to get back. I’m sure someone will realize I’m missing already.”

“Wish you could stay,” Wexley said as he reached out and brushed a lock of hair out of his face.

Armitage smiled. “Me too.” He kissed him one more time. “I’ll see you later.” He then left.

***

Ben looked around. He was surprised Armitage hadn’t met him after art class, but he just figured he was going ahead to class without him. But Armitage wasn’t in class. He felt a little anxious about him being absent, but he tried to forget about it. When he went to his next class, Spanish, he asked Poe his thoughts.

Poe shrugged. “He probably skipped class. All the teachers love him, so sometimes he skips and they turn a blind eye.”

“Really?” Ben asked surprised. “I just wouldn’t imagine Armitage being someone who skips class. Even just from time to time.”

“Yeah. He never did anything like that ‘til about a year ago,” Poe explained. “I don’t know what happened. I mean, we went to this party and he just was totally different after that. I mean, maybe not COMPLETELY different,” Poe joked. “He’s still Armitage.”

A girl came over and sat next to Poe. “Hey!” she said with a bright smile.

“Oh, hey, Jessicka. How’s it going?”

“Great!” She licked her lips and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “So, I was wondering if you’d asked anyone to go to prom?”

“Oh, um, no, I hadn’t yet.”

“Well, I was thinking-”

“We were going to go as a group,” Ben added quickly. “Me and Poe and Armitage.”

“Oh.” She was obviously crestfallen. She smiled again. “Okay. I should get to my seat.” She got up quickly and went to her assigned seat.

Poe smiled at Ben. “Thanks. You know, we actually COULD go as a small group. I mean, we could even invite Rey and Rose and Finn!”

Ben smiled. “Yeah, I guess we could do that. I think it’d be fun.”

“Sweet! We’ll talk with everybody later,” Poe replied. He turned in his seat to face the front of the classroom.

Ben sat quietly and tried to pay attention to the Spanish lesson, but his mind kept wandering. First to Armitage. He’d never have suspected that he’d be the kind of guy to ditch class. And what could he possibly be skipping to do? Then he started thinking about Prom. He’d never attended a school dance before. Even being the 21st century, there were still a lot of schools that wouldn’t allow homosexual couples to attend together. Even when he HAD been at a school that allowed it, he wasn’t well liked and never had any friends, let alone someone to go on a date with. A high school dance was going to be a very new experience.

Ben was glad when he saw Armitage in their next class. He sat down next to him casually. “Hey,” he offered.

Armitage looked up from what he was writing and smiled. “Hey.” He closed his notebook. “How’s it going?”

“I could ask YOU the same.” Ben dropped his voice. “Where were you? You weren’t in Electronics.”

Armitage paused. “I had some things I needed to do.”

Ben smiled. “I really didn’t think of you as the kind of guy to skip class.”

“Well, there’s plenty you don’t know about me,” he pointed out.

Was that a challenge? Or maybe an offer? “Well, I want to get to know you better.” He quickly added, “After all, you ARE my roommate and temporarily my brother.”

Armitage turned serious. “You know, Mom and Dad are rather fond of you. Dad especially. If you were interested, I’m sure they’d be more than happy to legally adopt you after the six-month probationary period is over.”

Ben didn’t know how to feel about that. He really was starting to feel comfortable in his new home, but he also had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Nothing ever seemed to work out for him. Ben shrugged. “A lot can happen in six months.” He paused and changing the subject said, “Hey, what do you say you and I skip out on our last period. I’ve been dying for a cigarette and have yet to find somewhere to smoke without getting caught.”

Armitage bit his lip. Ben was really starting to enjoy watching him do that. “I don’t know.”

“Come on, you’ve already skipped like half the day already, what’s one more class?”

Armitage couldn’t argue with that logic and he couldn’t deny that he’d been dying for a cigarette as of late too. It seemed Snaps always brought out the worst parts in him. He finally nodded. “Sure, I know where we can go.”

After class, Armitage led him to a small alcove around the back of the school. “This is the old high school building,” he explained. “They’ve talked for year about tearing it down, but they use it for the rifle firing range.”

“You guys have a rifle team?”

Armitage grinned. “Oh, yes, this school prides itself on it’s JROTC program.” Armitage made himself comfortable on the concrete ground. “So, you have any cigarettes on you?”

Ben sat next to him and dug out a pack from his backpack. He took one out and offered the pack to Armitage. He pulled a zippo lighter from his pocket and lit up and then offered it to Armitage. They both sat there quietly, inhaling deeply. Ben tipped his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. “You have no idea how much I’ve been craving that.”

Armitage chuckled. “I can imagine.” He took a drag and blew out a puff of smoke. “I don’t do this often, but when I do, I feel so relaxed.”

Ben laughed. “You should try weed.”

Armitage glanced over at him. “You have any?”

“No,” Ben shook his head. “But I’m sure I can score some pretty easily. I haven’t yet sniffed out the drug lords of your school though.”

This made Armitage laugh. Ben liked hearing him laugh. It sounded so clear and sincere. He cleared his throat. “So, Poe suggested we all go to Prom together.”

Armitage looked over at him in confusion. “What?”

“Well, I actually told this girl who was trying to coerce him into asking her that we all were going as a group. He then suggested we take Rose and Rey and Finn too. I figure that’s the only way they could go is by invite since it’s Junior/Senior Prom.”

“Yeah,” was all he said as he took a deep inhale on his cigarette. “Fuck! I don’t want to go to Prom!”

Ben looked over at him. “Why not?”

“It’s archaic and well, a social function. And let’s face it, I REALLY don’t do well with social functions.” He sighed. “And Mom will make a big deal out of it and probably go overboard and I just… Ugh, who wants to deal with that noise?”

Ben shrugged. “I’ve never been to a school dance before,” he replied as he looked down at his hand holding his cigarette.

Armitage looked over at him. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how things have been for you. You’ve never stayed in one home too long, have you?”

Ben shook his head as he flicked the ash from his cigarette. “Nope. Nobody really wants me around for long.”

Armitage nodded. “Believe it or not, that’s probably why Maz finally brought you to Mom and Dad. They have a way of making people feel like they belong.”

Ben looked up at Armitage. Their eyes met. He finally took note of the color of his eyes. Green. Sea foam green with a hint of gray. “I want to belong here,” he whispered. “I haven’t felt this safe and secure in a long time.”

Armitage smiled at him. “You DO belong here, Ben. We all really like you. I really like you,” he added. They stared at each other for a moment. Ben could feel himself gravitating toward him.

“Armitage!” someone yelled. They both turned unexpectedly at the voice. Mr. Kenobi stood there with a deep frown on his face. “And Ben. Skipping class AND smoking. My office. Now.”

Armitage quickly stood up and put out his cigarette. “I’m sorry sir. We were… That is…” He couldn’t think of a valid excuse.

“Come on,” Mr. Kenobi said. “Let’s go.”

Ben also stood and put out his cigarette before following. Armitage didn’t say anything as they walked to the front office. Ben glanced over at him. His shoulders were slumped and he looked defeated. They quietly entered Mr. Kenobi’s office and sat down. Armitage continued to stare at the floor. Mr. Kenobi took the seat behind his desk and adjusted his glasses. “I’m disappointed in you, Armitage,” he said.

“I know, sir, and I'm deeply sorry.” He looked up at him then. “I swear it won’t happen again, if you don’t tell my dad-”

“Oh, no,” he interrupted. “I’m going straight to your mom on this one.” He looked over at Ben. “And as for you. You’re back one day from suspension and you’re skipping class and smoking?”

Ben shrugged and looked down at the floor. He didn’t know what to say to that. Why couldn’t he ever do anything right?

“Please, don’t call my mom,” Armitage nearly begged. “I promise, we won’t do it again. And we’ll do detention for the next month! Just, please don’t call her!”

Mr. Kenobi looked at him thoughtfully. His face was impassive as he thought. Finally, he shook his head. “If it were just YOU, Armitage, I’d probably let it slide, but since it seems your delinquent brother is trying to pull you into his negative behavior, I think I need to nip this in the bud.” He picked up the phone handle and lifted it out of the cradle. Armitage reach over quickly and put his hand over his, forcing him to hang up.

“Please,” he tried one last time, “please don’t call her.” There were tears in his eyes. It wasn’t that he was afraid of repercussions from Leia like he would have with his father. Brendol surely would have beat him until he was black and blue for skipping, let alone being caught smoking. No, what he feared from his mom was her disappointment in him. He could deal with it from his dad, Han was much more laid back, but Leia; he knew it would kill him to see her disappointed in him like that.

Mr. Kenobi pulled his hand away, the receiver still in his hand. “I’m sorry, Armitage.” He then dialed and put the receiver to his ear. “Yes, Mrs. Solo, it’s Mr. Kenobi, how are you? Oh, fine. I have a dilemma here that needs to be brought to your attention. I have your son, Armitage in my office and your other child. He and Ben were caught skipping class and smoking. Yes. No, I called you first. Yes. They’ll be in the office waiting for you. Yes. Thank you.” He hung up. “She’s on her way to come and get you.”

Armitage nodded. “Okay.”

He pulled out a paper from his desk and started to fill it out. “You’ll both be serving detention tomorrow and Friday. I ought to give you another day of suspension,” he said to Ben, “but seeing as it didn’t seem to have deterred your negative behavior from the first time, I’m not sure how much good it would do to give it to you again.” He finished filling out the form and handed it to Armitage. “Your mom is on the way. You can wait in the office for her.”

Armitage nodded again as he accepted the paper. He stood up sullenly and left Mr. Kenobi’s office. Ben followed close behind. Neither of them spoke as they sat there waiting for Leia. Armitage stared at floor. Ben felt awful. Armitage was in this situation because of him. He shouldn’t have suggested they skip class, even if he had done so already and he definitely shouldn’t have smoked and offered it to Armitage too.

Leia showed up not long afterward. Her face was drawn in a frown. “Let’s go,” she said. She signed them out and then headed for the car. She was parked in the staff parking lot, so it was a short walk from the building to her car. Ben sat in the back and Armitage sat in the passenger seat. He stared out the window, not wanting to look at his mom. She slammed the door shut, turned on the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. She breathed heavily, trying to keep herself as calm as possible.

Armitage felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t care what kind of punishment they gave him, grounding him until he died or making him do the dishes for all eternity, he really didn’t care. But he hated how angry Leia was with him. “I’m sorry,” he finally said in a whisper.

“Not now, Armitage,” she replied. He knew she was pissed. She NEVER called him Armitage. “Your father should be home when we get there. We’ll discuss it then.”

“Okay,” he replied in turn as he continued to stare out the window, now trying to hold back his tears. He didn’t want to cry, but he hated feeling like this. Han and Leia were the most important people in the world to him and he didn’t want to upset them. He hated himself for it and knew whatever punishment they gave him would be just.

Han and Chewbacca were both there when they finally arrived. Chewie sat in a nearby armchair. He’d come along because he and Han had been working together when Leia called and told him what was going on. As they came in, Leia set her purse on the coffee table and went to sit on the couch next to her husband. “Sit down, the both of you,” she instructed plainly. Armitage and Ben sat across from them on the smaller couch. Leia took a deep breath. “We’re very disappointed in you.”

“I’m sorry!” Armitage quickly blurted out. “It won’t happen again. I swear!”

“It wasn’t his fault,” Ben quickly added. “I pushed him into it.”

“Ben,” Armitage tried to stop him, “don’t.”

“He didn’t want to skip, but I pushed him to do it with me,” he continued, ignoring Armitage’s plea to stop. “And they were my cigarettes and I pressured him to smoke.”

Han sighed. “Go to your room,” he said. “We’d like to talk to Armitage alone.” Ben stood up and headed to his room upstairs. He didn’t have many things, but pulled his pillow from its case and started packing his few belongings. There was no way they were going to keep him around now.

As soon as Ben was out of earshot, Armitage started in, “It wasn’t Ben’s fault. He’s just trying to take the blame for me.”

“We know,” Leia said. “Why were you skipping class?”

He sighed. “I don’t know. Sometimes I just feel so… I don’t know, like I’ve been balled up and forced into this idea of a perfect person that it sometimes feels good to rebel.” He finally met his mom’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Mom,” he whispered as tears started to form in his eyes. “I was being impulsive and rash. I swear I won’t do it again.”

“Armie,” she said softly as she stood up and went to sit next to him. She put her arms around him and pulled him close. As she did so, he started to weep openly. He wrapped his arms around her in return and buried his face in her chest.

“I’m so sorry, Mom! I’m sorry!”

She stroked his hair and shushed him. “I know, sweetie, I know you are. It’s alright. We’re not mad. A little disappointed, but we’re not upset. I promise.”

“I don’t mean to be a disappointment,” he offered, his tears slowing.

“Just because we ARE disappointed doesn’t make YOU a disappointment,” she explained lovingly. “You’re a wonderful kid and we’re so blessed to have you as our son.” She pulled away and put her hands on his face, bringing it up to meet her own. She wiped his tears with her thumbs. “We LOVE you, Armitage. No matter what.” Armitage nodded as he sniffled and then hugged his mom again. He knew he was fortunate to have such loving parents.

After their conversation with Armitage, Han and Leia went upstairs to talk to Ben. He was sitting on his bed, waiting. As they walked in, he stood up. “I’ve already packed my things. I’m ready to go.”

Han quirked an eyebrow. “Go where?” he asked.

“To Maz and then to wherever they’re going to ship me off next,” Ben answered.

“You really think we’re going to send you away?” Leia questioned.

Ben shrugged. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“For making a mistake?” Han asked.

“Yes! For making ONE mistake! Of course, you’re going to send me away! Like everyone else, you’ll tell Maz that you couldn’t handle my attitude or my acting out, or whatever you need to tell her to get rid of me!”

Leia sighed heavily. “Ben, I’m so sorry you’ve been treated like that your whole life,” she whispered. “But you are NOT an option to us. Right now, you are a part of our family and whether you like it or not, we’re going to treat you like our family.”

Ben stared at them in surprise. “You’re not going to send me away?”

Han shook his head. “No. You’re our responsibility now. We believe every one of our kids come to us for a reason. As long as YOU want to stay, you can. Do you want to stay with us?”

Ben looked from Han to Leia. No one had ever said they wanted him to stay before. He nodded. “I… I do.”

Leia smiled, went to him, and grabbed his hands. “Well, you can stay.” She reached up and brushed the hair away from his face. She was so small compared to him, she nearly had to stand on her tip toes to do so. “But you’re going to have to learn to follow rules, okay?”

“And accept that breaking rules result in consequences,” Han added.

Ben nodded. “Okay.” He paused and added, “It really wasn’t Armitage’s fault. I bullied him into it.”

Leia smiled. “You may have pressured him into it, but he made his choice nonetheless. We’ll deal with him too, but for now, you’re grounded through the weekend. That means you’re stuck here. If you’re not at school, you’re here at home. You don’t get to join everyone else for Friday movie night and you’ll have added chores. Is that understood?”

Ben smiled at her. It felt nice to have someone care enough about him to set rules and boundaries. He’d never been grounded before. He’d always just been sent away whenever he made a mistake. He nodded. “Yes, Mom.”


	9. Roses Are Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the kids look forward to Prom, Armitage thinks about the recent past and how it has brought them to where they are.  
> Han and Leia have an unexpected and in some ways unwelcome surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a short chapter, but I think there's a lot going on here. You learn a lot about things that happened in the past and I feel like you get a better feel for some of the other kids in the home. As always, I hope you enjoy!

True to their word, Ben and Armitage were stuck home the rest of the week and all weekend. Ben’s additional chores were to clean up after dinner every night, allowing the other kids a chance to more free time. Armitage’s chores were helping with dinner. He didn’t mind though. Giving him additional chores was more a formality than anything else. Han and Leia both knew that he felt guilty for what he had done and he wasn’t going to be doing it again any time soon.

The two of them hadn’t talked about what had happened that day when they skipped class. It made Ben wonder if there had even BEEN a ‘something that happened’ or if he’d just imagined it. He knew that he had been moving towards Armitage with a desire to kiss him, but had he felt the same? He kept stealing glances at him every chance he got; in class, at home, whenever he saw him. They didn’t really get a chance to be alone, except at night when they went to bed and Armitage had a tendency to go to bed early. Ben was the opposite and quite a night owl. Even if he didn’t purposefully stay up, he had a hard time going to sleep. He sometimes would lie in bed for hours before sleep overtook him. He wondered if it stemmed from his past trauma or if he just naturally had insomnia.

Sunday night, he’d laid there for what felt like several hours. He knew Armitage was asleep, so he decided to do the only thing he could think of to try and relax. He tried to be quiet as he masturbated, not wanting to wake Armitage. He closed his eyes and he thought of him. The off-centered smile he had and his red hair. Ben imagined pushing it away from his face as it fell across his eyes. His eyes. Oh, he loved his eyes. They were green. Ben had never loved the color green so much before. He thought of the few times Armitage had dressed in front of him, without any thought of Ben being in the room. He was slender; not skinny, but lean. And his skin was fair, almost alabaster really with a light smattering of freckles kissing his skin. Ben wanted to kiss each one himself. He thought about kissing him while he was on top of him; holding him as they made love, not just had sex. That’s what he wanted, to make love. It was something he’d never done before. He’d fucked and been fucked by Snoke and others. He wanted to press himself against a man he cared for. Kiss him with passion and love. Ben came in his hand as he thought on that last word. Love.

He tried to steady his breathing, panting from the exertion. Love. He didn’t know anything about it. His parents hadn’t loved him. They kicked him out of his own home because he was interested in men. Snoke of course hadn’t loved him. He convinced Ben, while he was his prisoner and slave, that he cared for him, that in fact he was the ONLY person who cared for him or ever would. Now, he was faced with trying to accept the fact that these strangers loved him. He was slowly coming to terms with the idea, but it was still difficult to fathom. He thought about having washed dishes with Leia after dinner that night and the conversation they had as they did.

Ben washed as Leia dried and put away. “Rey said you borrowed a few books from her,” Leia casually mentioned.

“Oh, yeah, um, yeah, we talked about comics the other night and about Neil Gaimin and stuff.”

Leia smiled at him. “Rey has always been a big reader. When she was little and asked for a bed time story, she was always drawn to the ‘big books’. We read The Lord of the Rings together before she was eight. She loved them.”

Ben paused. “I’m a little jealous of her. I never got the happy home thing like she’s gotten.”

Leia frowned. “Not even when you were little? Like before you were kicked out?”

Ben shook his head. “My dad was a pastor and he was gone all the time ‘tending to the flock’ as he would say. And my mom,” he scoffed, “my mom was mean. She didn’t care about much of anything outside of herself and her God.”

Leia rested a hand on his arm. “I’m really sorry, Ben.”

“It’s alright,” he replied. “I mean, it’s in the past and I should learn to let it go.” He looked over at Leia and smiled. “And I have you guys now.”

Leia smiled in return. “I’m glad you feel comfortable with us now.” She took the plate Ben handed to her and began drying it. “Han and I haven’t talked about it yet, but if you’d like, we’d really like to start the process of adopting you.”

Ben nearly dropped the glass he had in his hand. He looked over at her. “Really?”

Leia nodded. “That is of course, if you would like us to. I mean, and we have to wait until you’ve been with us for six months-”

“Yes,” he interrupted. “I mean, yeah, I would LOVE that.”

Leia had tears in her eyes. “Good. I’ll talk to Han about it, but I’m sure he’s more on board with it than you even realize. He really likes you.”

“He said I remind him a lot of himself when he was my age,” Ben replied as he started scrubbing a pot.

Leia nodded. “I didn’t know Han back then, but, oh, the stories Chewy as told.” She laughed.

Ben smiled. Leia had a soft, gentle laugh. It matched who she was really. Yes, Armitage was scared of disappointing her, but she wasn’t as stern as he made her out to be. She was very kind-hearted. Ben could see why she and Han were together. They completed each other. Ben wanted that too, someone who really was his other half.

***

Rey was ecstatic on Monday as she went to buy tickets for prom. Poe had told the younger kids about their plan to go to prom together and she could not hold in her excitement. Armitage waited in line with her and rolled his eyes on the inside as he watched her literally bounce up and down in excitement. “It’s just a dance,” he reminded her.

“But it’s PROM!” she replied. “I’m so EXCITED!” she nearly shrieked as she grabbed his arm. He chuckled. Rey was sweet. She was a tom-boy, enjoying working on cars in the shop with Han and Poe, but she definitely had a feminine side. She talked about how she was going to go shopping with Mom and Rose that coming weekend to look at dresses. “I’m hoping to find something cute, but elegant. I don’t want something strapless either. Are you guys going to go shopping?”

Armitage shrugged. “Dad said something about taking us all out to get suits. I mean, I thought you were supposed to wear a tux, but Dad said something about how a suit can be warn again, so it’s a much more solid investment.”

They paid for their tickets and then headed back to the lunch table. Rose and Finn were the only two who didn’t have the same lunch time as the rest of them, so it was just Poe and Ben at the table. Armitage had agreed to keep hold of the tickets because he was the least likely to lose them. He tucked them nicely into his wallet and started eating his lunch. He glanced up at Ben, who had his nose stuck in a book.

“How is it?” he asked. "The book?"

Ben looked up. He had deep brown eyes that said more than he meant for them to. “It’s good.” He put his bookmark in, a scrap piece of paper really, and closed it. “I’m a little surprised I hadn’t read it before. I really like it.”

“Ben is also a Gaimin fan,” Rey commented as she started to dig into her lunch.

“You bunch of nerds,” Poe joked.

“Jock,” Armitage teased back.

Poe laughed. Armitage enjoyed having Poe as a brother. They were vastly different, but they got along well. Phasma had become Armitage’s best friend in the years that they’d been siblings. It amused him to think back on her asking him for his permission to date Poe.

“You and Poe get along, don’t you?” she asked him one night last summer. They had spent the evening outside in the backyard, watching a meteor shower they’d both been excited for.

Armitage shrugged. “I don’t NOT get along with him,” he answered. “I like him alright.”

Phasma bit her lip. “He asked me out on a date.”

Armitage sat up in surprise. “You’re kidding!? When did THIS happen?”

“The other night when I picked him up from work. He asked me if I wanted to go see a movie with him later this week.”

“What did you say?”

“Well, I said, why not.” She sat up now too. “I REALLY like him, Tage. He’s funny and he’s cute and, oh, that stupid smile of his just makes me weak in the knees!”

Armitage chuckled as he laid back down. “You’re such a helpless romantic.”

She laid down again too. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

They were quite for a moment, until Armitage asked, “Are Mom and Dad okay with it?” He looked over at Phasma as he asked. She continued to stare up at the sky.

She sighed. “I turn eighteen next month,” she answered. “I mean, are we even legally ALLOWED to be dating after I turn eighteen? He’ll be underage then.”

“I really don’t know,” he answered with the shake of his head. “I’ve heard some people say that as long as you were dating BEFORE one of you turned eighteen, you’re okay. Others have said that as long as he’s no more than eighteen months younger you’re okay too. And some people say that everything is copasetic as long as you’re not having sex.” He paused and looked over at her. “ARE you guys having sex?”

“God! Tage! We haven’t even gone OUT yet!” she laughed.

Armitage shrugged and looked back up at the sky. “That doesn’t mean anything.” He paused and then added. “I slept with Wexley.”

Phasma shot up. “You what?! When? Why didn’t you tell me?! Details!”

Armitage grinned. “Well, we’ve been kind of, I don’t really know, I mean, we’re not like, serious or anything, we’ve just been hanging out and MAKING out.” He sat up again. “I REALLY like him, Phas. He’s sweet and he makes me happy.”

“NOW who’s the helpless romantic?” she teased. “God, I didn’t even know he was gay.”

“I didn’t either. Remember that party Poe and I went to?” Phasma nodded. “We met there and we just hung out and we really hit it off.” He looked down at the ground, picking at the grass beneath him. “I’ve never, you know, BEEN with anyone before.”

“He was your first? How was it?”

“Awkward,” he answered. “I mean, we’ve done a lot since we started seeing each other, but, the other night, we decided to go all the way. I didn’t really know what to expect. He wanted to bottom for our first time. He wanted to be real rough, you know, but I guess I always thought my first time would be, I guess, sweet. I mean, they call it ‘making love’ for a reason, right?”

“He didn’t push you into it, did he?” Phasma asked in concern.

He shook his head. “No,” he lied. He hadn’t really been ready, but he wanted to make him happy. He looked over at Phasma. “Have you ever?”

“Had sex?” She shook her head. “It’s not like I’m waiting for marriage or anything, but I’m with you. I want my first time to be… Special.” She paused. “I think Poe is pretty special.”

Armitage smiled at her. Phasma wasn’t just his sister, she really was his best friend. “If you want to go out with him, you should. Screw what anyone else says.”

She smiled at him. “Thanks, Tage.” She laid back down and he did as well. She grabbed his hand as they stared back up at the sky together. Tage wished for his sister’s happiness on every shooting star he saw for the rest of the night.

The bell, indicated the end of lunch, rang, pulling Armitage from his thought. They all packed up their things and made their way to their next classes.

Most of the week was uneventful. Rey and Rose were preparing for opening night of the show the next weekend, so they were home pretty late each night. Poe was working as much as he could to get extra money for Phasma’s birthday coming up in the next few months. “I want to get her something REALLY special,” he told Armitage one day.

He nodded. “You should. You’ve been together almost a year now and she’s really special.”

Poe smiled. “She really is. What do you think I should get her?”

Armitage took a deep breath and thought about it. Phasma was more feminine than she let on. She was athletic, being into soccer and working out, but she was also into making herself look and feel beautiful. “I think jewelry might be a bit much,” Armitage admitted. “Maybe just take her out to get her hair and nails done and then take her to a nice dinner. I mean, memories are better than things, right?”

Poe nodded. “You’re probably right.” He paused. “I think we might, ya know.”

Armitage rolled his eyes. “If you can’t even SAY ‘sex’ you’re CERTAINLY not ready to do it.”

Poe laughed. “Hey, I just didn’t want to say it if it made YOU uncomfortable. But, I think we might finally have sex.”

Armitage shook his head. “You really haven’t done it yet?”

Poe shook his head. “We’ve both been kind of nervous because I’m seventeen. I mean, I don’t think there’s anyone who would like, turn her into the police or anything, but I just don’t want her to get into trouble.”

“You could just wait until you turn eighteen,” Armitage suggested.

Poe groaned. “That seems so far away!”

“Hey, you’ve waited THIS long.”

***

Friday night, everyone was home for dinner. Leia and Han seemed awfully quiet, but any time any of them tried to ask about it, they brushed it off and said they were fine. After dinner, the kids all went to the living room for their Friday night movie. Poe and Phasma were snuggled up close together, without being too close of course, while Rose sat in an easy chair with Rey on the floor in front of her, so she could braid her hair. Armitage took his usual spot on the floor in front of the sofa, while, Finn sat next to Poe and Ben took the other easy chair. He had just sat down after putting in the movie and then Han and Leia came in.

“We’d like to talk to you all,” Han said very seriously. They paused the movie and turned to their parents.

Ben considered all the things that they could be wanting to talk about. He knew they were still in the process of adopting Poe, so it could have something to do with that. Maybe they had met a snag in the process and so it was going to take longer. Maybe Han had lost his job or Leia had cancer or something. It could be almost anything, but he, nor any of the other kids were expecting what came next.

Leia continued. “We got a call from Maz today.” She looked over at Rose. “It seems they’ve finally located your sister.”

Rose looked at her in surprise. “Paige?”

Han nodded. “She has a few things to take care of in Vietnam, which is where they found her. But once she has everything settled there, she’s coming back to the states to take you to live with her.”

“Like, to Nam?” she asked in fear.

Leia shook her head. “She was born and raised here too, but before your parents passed, she’d gone there to take care of some things. We don’t know where she’s planning on settling once she’s back here though.”

Everyone was quiet. It was common in this environment. When taking care of foster children, sometimes, they didn’t stick around. Rose had been with the Solos for a few years. Her parents had died in a car accident. It wasn’t known where her older sister was. She had no other family, so she was put into foster care.

“We always knew they were looking for her,” Han added. “But it had been so long, we really hadn’t expected it to happen.”

“But, what about school and everything?” Rey asked.

“We’re not sure how long it’ll be before she actually makes it back to the states,” Leia answered. “She has business to take care of in Vietnam. We don’t know what it is exactly. It’s quite possible that she won’t even be here until after the school year is over. Even if she is, we’ll figure it out. I think she would agree that it would be in Rose’s best interest to finish the school year seeing as there’s only a few months left. But that’s not something you kids need to worry about. We’ll figure it out. We just wanted you all to know.”

No one knew what else to say. Han and Leia left for their room to talk. Leia curled up on the bed without even changing into evening clothes. Han laid behind her an put his arms around her. She began to sob. “I always hate this part, Han,” she whispered.

“I know. I do too.”

“I love her like she’s our daughter! It’s not fair. And Rey! God, I can’t imagine how torn up she’s going to be!”

Han rubbed her arm. “I know, but reunification is always the foster care intent, we both know that.”

Leia sniffled. “I know, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”


	10. Opening Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone deals with the idea of losing Rose. As a family they attend Rey and Rose's play. Ben decides to let Armitage know how he feels about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually like to say something at the beginning of each chapter, but I don't know what to say. I think this chapter speaks for itself. I hope you like it as much as you've liked others.  
> Oh, I do LOVE Russian Chewie. I don't know why, but he's kind of my favorite hahaha Enjoy!

Over the next week, everyone was gloomy. No one could seem to get it out of their minds that Rose may not be with them much longer. Chewie came over Friday night to have dinner with everyone. It was opening night of the play at school and he was joining the family in their traditional outing of opening night. He bought pizza for dinner, but even still, everyone seemed to be covered in a cloud of sorrow.

“What is so wrong, my little sparrows?!” he asked to the ever-somber table. “You all look as if Death is knocking on your door.”

No one seemed to want to answer, so Poe finally did. “We’re all just a little depressed about Rose leaving.”

“And where is she going? Just to the theatre with Rey, is she not?”

Rose shook her head. “They found my sister. As soon as she comes back from Vietnam, I’m going to go live with her,” she explained.

“Really? Is this not wonderful new?”

“We don’t want her to leave!” Rey answered frustratedly.

Chewie nodded. “Ah, yes, I see. Yes, that is sad, but Rose is still our family.” He reached across the table and placed his large hand over Rose’s small one. She looked up at him as he looked into her eyes. “Once family, ALWAYS family. Do not forget this.”

She smiled at him. “Thanks, Uncle Chewie.”

He smiled back at her, a wide toothy grin. He pulled his hand away and sat back. “Now, eat up everyone! We don’t want to have empty rumbling bellies during the performance.”

Ben was still scared of Chewie. He was certainly nice enough, but that out exterior was still frightening. He was a large man, larger than Ben. Being over six foot himself, it wasn’t often he found someone whom he was forced to look up to. He knew he had no reason to be scared of him, his heart told him so, but his mind couldn’t get passed what he saw. He felt guilty, since he knew people often made that same assumption about him. He was off-putting, even without intent sometimes. He reminded himself of this, so he tried to remind himself of this with Chewie as well.

As soon as everyone was done eating, they quickly cleaned up and gathered in the van to head to the school together. Ben was nervous. He’d made up his mind about Armitage. He didn’t know if he felt the same way he was starting to feel for him, so he was going to take the plunge. He decided he would make sure to sit next to him in the theater and he was going to try to hold his hand. Just something simple. His heart beat with anticipation. He was certain he was as nervous as Rey who would be taking the stage.

Rey and Rose had to be there an hour before the doors open, so Leia had taken them early. She was already sitting in the theater when everyone arrived. She waved them over and everyone took a seat. Ben tapped his foot as he waited. They hadn’t even started yet. He figured he’d wait until the play began, it being less embarrassing if Armitage rejected his advances when the lights were down. More and more people arrived, filling the theater slowly. Ben took a few calming breaths. Poe leaned over to him. “Hey, you okay?”

He looked over at him and nodded. “Yeah, I’m alright. It’s just a little surreal to be a part of a ‘family outing’.”

Poe chuckled. “You get used to it. Mom and Dad LOVE family outings.”

Ben smiled. He liked the sound of that. He didn’t have much time to think on it, because the lights finally dimmed. There was a uniformed hush that fell over the audience, as though they all understood something important was about to happen. The curtains were drawn, showing the stage dressed as an Athenian palace. A man and a woman entered the stage with their entourage. Ben sat forward in his seat. Shakespeare was difficult to understand. He’d looked up the Spark Notes of the play so he could better follow along. He was enthralled by the sets and the acting. It was beautiful and ethereal. He’d completely forgotten about his plans with Armitage until intermission was called.

The curtain was pulled closed and the lights were brought back up. Ben’s heart began to beat again. How could he have completely forgotten!? He was mad at himself, kicking himself internally. He took a deep breath and made the resolve to go through with his plan at the second half of the play.

“So, what do you think?” Armitage asked him, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Oh, um, I like it so far. Honestly, I find it a little hard to follow.”

Phasma chuckled. “You’re not alone. I only understand what’s going on because I went over lines with Rey so many times. She’s amazing.”

“Isn’t she?!” Finn piped in. “She’s like a REAL Greek goddess!”

“She DOES look fabulous,” Armitage added. “The costumes are pretty spectacular.”

They chatted like this until the lights came down again, indicating that intermission was closing and the second half of the play was going to begin. Ben sat back in his seat and took another deep breath. The curtains were pulled again and the production started up where they had left off, with the lovers in the forest. Ben told himself that it was now or never, so he reached over with his left hand and grabbed Armitage’s. He held his breath, waiting for his reaction.

Armitage took his hand and laced his fingers in his, squeezing tightly. Ben looked over at him in the darkness and Armitage smiled. Ben smiled back and turned his attention back to the play. He didn’t much care what else happened on stage, he was happier than he ever thought he’d be.

Armitage was surprised when he felt Ben’s hand reach over for his, but he quickly grabbed it. He wanted to feel his skin against his own. He gave him a confident smile when he looked over at him. His heart sped up when Ben smiled at him in return. He really liked Ben, but he was waiting for him to make a move. He heard the way he whispered his name at night when he brought himself off when he thought Armitage was sleeping, so he knew he was interested on some level, but he wasn’t sure how much.

When they’d skipped class, he thought Ben was leaning in to kiss him. He was mad Mr. Kenobi had shown up when he did. He couldn’t have waited even thirty seconds more? But none of that seemed to matter now; Ben was holding his hand, their fingers laced between each other’s.

When they play finally ended, the audience applauded, standing up as they cheered. Rey’s face beamed with pride. She felt so alive on the stage and under the lights; to her that was where she belonged. The cast went backstage to change back into their civilian garb and meet their families outside. “You were amazing, sweetie!” Han said when she came out to meet them by the car. He pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

Then Leia had her turn to hug her, tears in her eyes. “Oh, baby! You were so wonderful!”

“Thank you!” she replied. Everyone gave her a hug and a compliment, even Ben did. Then they all turned to Rose to praise her work. She knew it wasn’t as spectacular as being a performer, so she didn’t feel a need for the same praise and adoration they gave Rey, but she was happy they all still congratulated her. She loved being a part of this family. She tried not to think about how things would change when Paige came to take her away.

“What’s wrong?” Rey asked her later that night as they both got ready for bed.

Rose sighed as she sat on her bed. “Just been thinking. You know, about Paige and everything.”

Rey sat next to her and pulled her into a hug. “You’re always going to be my sister. No matter where you end up, we’re always going to be best friends.”

Rose hugged her back. “But what if she wants to live on the other side of the country or something!? I don’t think I could deal with that!”

“Let’s not worry about it right now,” Rey suggested. She squeezed her tight. “Let’s just be happy with what we have right now.”

Rose nodded. She knew she was right, but it was still difficult to not think about the uncertain future.

After the play had ended, Ben quickly dropped Armitage’s hand. He played it off as just wanting to clap along with everyone else, but he didn’t want everyone to see them holding hands until they had a chance to talk about whatever it was that they had going on. Ben had to remind himself that there was ‘something’ between just because he’d accepted his hand when he offered it silently. Here Ben was practically planning out their entire future together and they hadn’t even had a chance to establish what any of it meant to them.

When they arrived home, everyone pretty much scattered to their rooms for the evening. Armitage followed behind him as they headed to their room. Ben turned to talk to him as he closed the door behind him, but before he had a chance to, Armitage had pushed him against the wall and started kissing him. Ben’s eyes blew open wide from surprise, but almost immediately closed as he wrapped his arms around him and kissed him back.

“Armitage,” Ben started to pant out as he pulled away and started kissing down his neck.

“Shh,” he encouraged as he continued kissing and sucking on his exposed skin.

“I think… We need… Need to talk.”

Armitage pulled away for a moment. “We can talk later,” he suggested as he leaned in to gently bite his neck. Ben threw his head back in ecstasy. He’d never done anything like this before. Kissing and touching gently was all foreign to him. Armitage put his hand under his shirt and touched his stomach, his ribs, his chest. It felt so wonderful! He dragged his hands down his side and to the front of his pants, which he started to undo.

Ben pushed him away gently. “No! We… We REALLY have to talk.”

Armitage breathed heavily. “I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

“No,” Ben replied. He didn’t want him to think he’d done anything wrong. “It’s just.” He paused. “There are things you need to know.”

Armitage nodded. “Okay.”

“I… I haven’t had the best experience with… With THIS.” Armitage nodded. “I…” He heaved a heavy sigh. “I just think we should take this slow.”

Armitage stepped closer and took his hand. “Okay. We can take it as slow as you want. No pressure.”

Ben smiled at him. “Thanks. And I… I guess I just want to know what it all means to you.”

“What ‘what’ means to me?”

Ben shrugged. “Just THIS. Whatever THIS is that we’re doing. I mean, I guess I just want to know if we’re just fooling around or if you want something more?”

Armitage looked him in the eye. “I’ll be completely honest with you.” He held his hand tighter. “I REALLY like you, Ben. I think you’re absolutely fascinating. You’re beautiful and I want to know EVERYTHING about you. Yes, I want THIS to be SOMETHING; whatever you want it to be.”

Ben’s dark eyes met his. “I like you to, Armitage. I think you’re gorgeous and smart and interesting. I want this to be something too.”

Armitage smiled. He reached up with his empty hand and brushed some hair from Ben’s face. “Then it IS something. I’m not saying we need to decide right at this moment to be in an exclusive relationship or anything, but I DO want to be with you and get to know you better.”

Ben nodded. “I’d like that too.”

Armitage nodded in return. “Then it’s settled. No promises at the moment, just learning about each other.” He leaned in and kissed him tenderly. “And perhaps a little physical affection along the way.”

Ben nodded. “We should talk about that too. I… I haven’t had good experiences in the past with… Well, with physical relationships.”

Armitage nodded. “I understand. I mean, I don’t know the whole story, but I’ve heard things.”

Ben looked down at the ground. “And I need to be upfront with you about this. And I TOTALLY understand if it’s a deal breaker for you, but…” He looked up again, meeting his gaze. “I have HIV.”

Armitage nodded. “I know.”

***

A Week Before Ben’s Arrival

Han and Leia had gathered all of the kids into the living room. They had something important they needed to discuss with all the kids. Han and Leia held each other’s hands as they sat together. Han spoke first. “You guys know we always have a family meeting before someone new is brought into the house, so you probably won’t be surprised at all about what we’re going to say.”

Leia spoke next. “Maz told us there’s a boy who needs a home. He’s currently in a boy’s home, but they’re asking that he be placed elsewhere.”

“There are a few things she’s told us and we feel it’s important that you all be told before he comes into our home,” Han added. “We want you all to feel safe here. This is your home too and if anything we tell you about him makes you feel uncomfortable, we will consider NOT taking him in.”

Leia cleared her throat. “His name is Ben. The home he’s in now, they’ve asked for him to be moved because he’s been getting into fights with the other boys there. He has been known to have a bad temper and can get physical.”

“Your mom and I have thought about this very seriously. Your guy’s safety is most important to us, I promise you,” Han offered. “But you also know that our home is always open to those who need it. Another concern we had was that he is a sexually reactive youth. Not sexually AGGRESSIVE, but sexually REACTIVE. He’s been through some terrible things, a lot even WE don’t know about.”

“Because of some of the things he’s gone through, he has HIV. It’s not a bad person disease and it’s a sexually transmitted disease, so it’s really nothing any of you should be afraid of,” Leia explained.

“But we understand if ANY of this makes you uncomfortable,” Han added. “So, if it does, PLEASE tell us. We will ALWAYS take your thoughts and feelings into consideration. You can tell us now or talk to us later. As of right now, the plan is that he will be joining us next week.”

No one said anything for a moment, just letting the information absorb. Poe cleared his throat. “I know I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I’m okay with it all. You guys took me in after I managed to get away from the gang I was in. You never even seemed to worry about my old affiliations. I know that whatever this kid has gone through, we can deal with it.”

Phasma nodded. “You are WONDERFUL parents and even more wonderful human beings. You’ve given so much to each of us. I think I would feel wrong for turning away another kid in need. I know I don’t have a problem with any of it.”

“Well, I think you could probably kick his ass if he tried to pick a fight with you,” Finn teased.

Phasma laughed. “That’s REALLY beside the point.”

Han chuckled as well. “He’s not wrong, but yes, beside the point. I really think we can help this kid. I want to try. It sounds like he needs a good home and a good family. I think you all can give him that.”

***

Ben was astonished when Armitage told him this. “So, you’ve known the whole time? Everyone has?”

He nodded. “Mom and Dad are very open about things with us as I’m certain you’ve noticed. There were legitimate concerns for the whole household to think about.”

“What did YOU tell them when they brought it up?”

Armitage thought. “I don’t think I had any issues with it. You wouldn’t be the first person who’s come into our home who’s fight or flight leans to fight. And at the time, having sex with you wasn't something I had even thought to be a possibility.” He chuckled. “Quite frankly, the thing I had the most problem with was having to share a room again.”

Ben chuckled too. He then turned serious again. “So, with US, whatever it is that we’re doing, does my HIV positive diagnosis bother you?”

Armitage took a deep breath. “I know it complicates things. I suppose that when we reach that level of intimacy, we’re just going to have to be careful and make certain to take precautions.” Ben nodded. Armitage continued to stroke his hair. “It really doesn’t bother me. It’s not like it’s something you chose.”

Ben nodded. “I know.” He paused and then looked him in the eyes. “Would you like to sleep with me tonight? I mean, not SLEEP with me, but… sleep WITH me.”

Armitage smiled. “Curl up beside you while I dream? I don’t think I could think of anything better.” He gave Ben another peck on the lips. “We should probably get dressed for bed.” He pulled away and started to undress. He glanced over at Ben. “You HAVE been watching me when I change, haven’t you?” he accused.

Ben smiled. “Well, it’s been hard not to with you putting on a show like you do,” he teased.

Armitage grinned wickedly and then slowly pulled his shirt off, attempting to look seductive as he did so. It must have done the trick, because Ben couldn’t take his eyes off of him. So, he continued with the production and swayed his hips as he slowly wriggled out of his jeans. He kicked them to the side and laughed. “Alright, enough.” He then went about dressing in his sleep clothes.

Ben shook his head, as though dispelling a dream. He then changed for bed as well. Once he was dressed, he crawled into bed and Armitage, after turning out the lights, crawled in beside him. Ben wrapped his arms around him as Armitage curled up next to him, burying his face in the crook of his neck. He took a deep breath. “You smell so good.”

Ben chuckled. “If you say so.”

“I really DO like you, Ben. I hope you believe that.”

Ben nodded. “I know. I like you too.”

Armitage pulled away. “I’m sorry, I forgot something.” He rolled out of bed and grabbed a blanket from his own bed before crawling in next to Ben once again. He covered himself with the soft fabric and resumed his nuzzling. “Sorry, I have to have something over me when I sleep. This blanket in particular has been preference for some time. Not always, but usually.”

“It’s fine,” Ben assured him.

“Leia made it for me,” he said drowsily. “I’ve never had a mum before her. It was just me and my father. Leia is the mom I always wanted as a child. She’s like an angel.”

Ben ran his fingers through Armitage’s hair as he spoke. He liked listening to him. His accent was crisp and his words clear. “She is pretty great.”

“Mhm,” Armitage agreed. Ben smiled. It seemed he fell asleep with ease. Ben closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, quicker than he ever had before.


	11. I Be on my Suit and Tie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe recounts some of his relationship with Phasma. Han takes the boys out suit shopping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it was never intended, but suddenly, I wrote a sex scene between Poe and Phasma. I know, this is a Kylux fic and the first real sex scene I give you isn't even between the two of them hahaha. For that reason I am changing the rating. I did, however, mark the beginning and the ending scene with an asterix if you care to skip over it.  
> I've plans for a lot of over time at work the next few weeks or so, so I really won't have a lot of time to write, but I'm going to try my hardest to make sure I update weekly, even if the chapters are shorter.  
> As always, I hope you continue to enjoy this journey I'm taking these characters on!

Poe woke up at his usual time for his morning jog. He still didn’t care for getting up earlier than he had to, especially on a Saturday, but he was dedicated to keeping in shape. He still loved a cheese smothered pizza or a juicy bacon hamburger, but he tried to eat things like that in moderation. He yawned as he stretched and dressed for their jog. He loved going out with Phasma, it gave them a chance to sneak off and fool around. She was a little miffed at him when he’d told her she’d invited Ben to join them.

“Are you kidding me?!” she almost shouted.

“No. What?”

Phasma gave him a disapproving look. “So, when are we going to have any time alone now?” she asked, arms crossed in front of her chest. She did this when she was mad at Poe, he loved checking out her tits.

He sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think about it. I was just trying to be friendly and make him feel welcome.”

“That’s one of your problems, Poe. You never think things through. You just go with whatever whim catches you at the moment.”

“Well, you should be glad,” Poe pointed out. “That’s why I asked you out the first time.” As soon as he said it, he knew he’d said the wrong thing. Phasma’s face tensed into an angry scowl.

“So, you didn’t THINK about asking me out, you just had a moment of ‘hey, why not?’ and did it? You didn’t actually think about how much you liked me before hand?”

Poe ran his hands through his dark curls. “It’s not like that, Phas. Yes, I liked you, I’d thought about it for some time, but ASKING you THAT night wasn’t something I’d planned. It just felt right in the moment.” He stepped closer and put his arms around her. “And every moment since being with you as felt right.”

Phasma’s face softened. “Well, that’s quite a line.”

He smiled and chuckled. “But did it work? Because I’m sure I can think up a few more.”

Phasma uncrossed her arms and pulled Poe close to her and kissed him. From the outside, it would look strange. Phasma was over six feet tall and Poe stood a good half a foot shorter than her. On top of their height, she was incredibly white. She has milky white skin and platinum blond hair she kept short. Poe was darker skinned, a descendent of Latin heritage, and had dark curly hair he left loose. But in spite of their physical differences, they still seemed to fit together, like two oddly shaped puzzle pieces you wouldn’t think of putting together but were meant to be.

*Poe kissed her back, slipping his tongue between her red lips. She opened willingly and gently nibbled on his bottom lip. He moaned in pleasure. She dragged him over to her bed without breaking their kiss and pulled him down on top of her. They both knew it was risky to be doing this in the house, still neither of them had told their parents and didn’t know if it was technically legal with her being a legal adult and him still being a minor.

He straddled her hips and continued to kiss her as he cupped her breasts in his hands. She sighed in pleasure. She enjoyed him playing with her boobs almost as much as he enjoyed doing it. He kissed down her neck and pulled her shirt down, enough to expose one breast, he then put her nipple in his mouth and sucked. She couldn’t stop making noise beneath him and he drank in every bit of it. He ground down with his hips when he realized that she was pressing up toward him. “Oh, Poe!” she moaned out.

He continued to suck on her nipple as reached a hand between them and started to undo her pants. Neither of them cared at the moment of the possible consequences if someone walked in on them at this moment; both of them were too far gone in their desires. Once he’d undone her pants, he slipped his hand down and touched her tenderly. At first, he just touched her on the outside, rubbing his hand across her short hair. He liked that she didn’t shave. She kept it trimmed and nice, but he didn’t want her to be completely bare.

After enough teasing, he finally slipped a finger inside. She tossed her head back and moaned. “Oh, Poe! Oh!” He nipped at her nipple as he pulled away and then began sucking on her neck as he continued to finger her. Just one was all she needed. He constantly teased her that it was because she was a greedy slut; she enjoyed dirty talk as well, and Poe was willing to do anything she wanted. He moved his finger in and out and then searched for her clit. The sounds she made as he touched it and rubbed it were obscene. He wanted do badly to bury his face between her legs and lick at her clit like she deserved, but they were still worried about how the law would view what they were doing, so they kept it as no more than what they were doing now.

“Poe! Poe! Oh, Poe!” she squealed as her back arched and she came. He continued flicking her clit though, making her orgasm longer than she thought she could. He finally pulled his hand away and looked down at her in awe. She was so beautiful completely blitzed out like this and Poe smiled to himself knowing that it was HIM who made her undone like this.

After catching her breath, she sat up a little and pulled her shirt and bra off. “I know you want to come,” she said as she laid back down. “Come on my tits.”

Poe grinned like an idiot and moved enough to pull himself out. He grabbed his dick and started moving his hand up and down. He looked down at his beautiful girlfriend and bit his lip. She wasn’t just hot, she was beautiful, and he knew he was the luckiest man in the world. He closed his eyes and tossed his head back as he gave himself one last tug and came on her. He continued to pump himself as he rode out the wave of his orgasm. Then, once he’d finally recovered from it, he leaned back down and ran his tongue through his cum on her milky white skin. He licked it all up and then laid down beside her.

*“You, filthy animal,” she teased.

He grabbed her hand and pulled it up to his lips and kissed it. “Just for you, baby.”

Once Poe was dressed for their morning jog, he went to Ben and Armitage’s room. He knocked quietly, not wanting to wake Armitage, but wanting to let Ben know he was coming in. He opened the door and stepped inside. His eyes grew wide at the sight that was before him. Armitage was in Ben’s bed! Curled into his side comfortably. Poe quickly closed the door and dashed downstairs to Phasma’s room. He walked in without even knocking.

“Poe!” she shouted, as she was in a state of half dress. “What are you-”

“Armitage and Ben are TOTALLY fucking!” he announced.

“What?”

“I went to get Ben for our jog, and Tage was in his bed!”

Phasma’s eyes grew. “No way!”

“Seriously!”

Phasma threw on her shirt and slipped into her shoes. “Should we wake him or just let him be?”

“He HAS to come with us,” Poe replied. “I have to hear everything.”

They both went back up the stair, but as soon as they reached the top, Ben came out of his room, dressed for their workout. He was in black sweat pants and a black tank. He looked at Poe and Phasma in question. “Everything okay?”

Phasma nodded nonchalantly. "Yeah, we were just coming to get you.”

“Okay, I’m ready.”

Poe nodded now. “Cool. Let’s go.”

***

Poe had tried to get Ben to talk about what was going on between him and Armitage, but he was trying to be subtle. He wanted to know, but if Ben didn’t want to talk about it, he needed to respect his privacy. But he knew Armitage better and was sure he could get him to spill the beans. He just needed a way to get him alone.

“Hey,” Han said to get everyone’s attention, “I want to take all you boys out suit shopping for prom.”

Armitage rolled his eyes. “You know, it’s really not that big of a deal,” he tried to persuade him to believe.

“Nonsense!” Leia chimed in as she came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “You boys should all have new suits any way and once you boys are back, I’ll take Rey and Rose to go look at dresses.”

Armitage sighed. He knew there was no way to get out of it. Begrudgingly, he joined the others and headed to the car. Finn was the most excited; he was a freshman and wouldn’t otherwise have been able to go without an invite. Finn was typically quiet and reserved, but he was bursting with energy. “So, are we going to get corsages for the girls too?”

Han nodded. “We can look at ordering them after we look at suits.”

“Do you think we should get matching suits or something?” Finn asked.

“Please, no,” Armitage answered. “Anything that might look good on YOU will DEFINTELY not go with my skin tone.”

Everyone laughed. Finn kept talking and asking questions along the way. He was so filled with anticipation for the big evening to come. Ben didn’t pay much attention. His thoughts were drawn to Armitage when he felt his hand reach over and gently grab his. He glanced over at him, but he just acted like nothing was going on. Ben smiled to himself. He liked being with Armitage and he was looking forward to getting to know him better.

Han brought them to Calrissian’s Boutique. The owner, Lando Calrissian and Han had been friends since they were young. Lando was a tailor, and a damn good one too. He greeted them warmly as they entered. “Han! It’s good to see you!” They embraced in a tight hug, one Ben thought went on a bit longer than was really typical for two straight men, but he brushed it off. It really wasn’t any of his business. “So, new suits for the boys for prom, huh?” They’d obviously already discussed it. He crossed his arms. “You know, typically guys wear a tux to prom.”

“Hey, you think any of these kids know the difference between a black suit and a tuxedo?”

Lando laughed. “Fair point. Well, come on in and take a look around. You boys have anything in mind?” They all looked at him blankly. It was apparent none of them had any experience with suits and formal attire. Lando laughed. “Alright then, I’ll take you each one at a time.” He pointed at Finn. “I’ll start with my fellow brother over here.” He clapped his hand on his shoulder and pulled him away from the group and farther into the shop. “So, let’s start with colors you like.” To the others he said, “Feel free to look around to get an idea of what you’d like.”

Han walked off with Lando and Finn, leaving Poe, Armitage, and Ben to their own devices. Ben started looking around casually, but kept close to Armitage. He felt completely out of his element. Clothes shopping with Han had been anxiety ridden, but this had his heart in palpitations like he’d never had expected. Armitage seemed fairly comfortable with the situation. He seemed to make himself at ease in almost any setting, it was something Ben was a little envious of. “So, have you ever worn a suit before?” Armitage asked him as he began looking through a rack of slacks.

“Um, no,” Ben answered self-consciously. “I mean, my dad made me when I was a kid for church and stuff, but I haven’t since I’ve grown up.”

Armitage shook his head. “Me neither. My father demanded I wear a suit whenever he had one of his ridiculous parties. He needed me to be presentable in front of others he brought around. I was expected to be silent, but seen. He needed to make sure that everyone knew he had a good son. It proved how wonderful a father and person he was.”

Ben could hear the bitterness in his words. They’d both lived vastly different lives and yet they had similar outcomes. Both had parents that hated that they were gay and, though the avenues that were taken were different, they both ended up in foster care. Now they were young men filled with anger at the people who were supposed to be their protectors in life. “I honestly hope I never meet your dad,” Ben commented. “I’d probably punch his lights out.”

“He’s NOT my dad,” he corrected without looking over at him. “Brendol Hux is my father, nothing more. HAN is my dad.”

Ben nodded. “I know. I just still have a hard time differentiating between the two.”

Armitage looked over at him and smiled. “You’ll learn to do it too, eventually.”

Suddenly, Poe burst into their conversation, filled with excitement. “Guys! You will not believe this! Lando has bolts of fabric in the back so we can have a custom suit made! He’s got some of the wildest stuff back there. Come on!”

Ben and Armitage exchanged a look. Poe had their attention. They followed quietly. Lando indeed had some of the most beautiful fabrics they’d ever seen. Armitage touched them tenderly. He didn’t know the names of them, but so many were soft and others silky, but they were all beautiful. Even the more bizarre patterns were gorgeous. “Lando is careful when he buys his fabrics,” Han mentioned from behind them, they hadn’t heard him approach. “He’s got quite the flare,” he chuckled. He glanced over, where Lando was discussing a deep purple colored fabric with Finn. “He’s talented too.” He looked back at his boys. “Anything stand out to you?”

“I don’t know about anyone else, but I think I want something fairly basic,” Ben answered. “Just a traditional black suit would be fine.”

“Seriously?!” Poe exclaimed. “Not me. I want something WILD.” He pulled a bolt from the wall. “Maybe something like THIS.” The fabric was orange with white pin stripes running through it.

Armitage laughed. “Are you serious?!”

“Why not?” he answered. “I think it would look legit!”

Lando stepped toward them. “Well, considering your buddy here is wanting a suit from THIS bad boy, I’m not sure I’m too terribly surprised by your pick.” He had the purple bolt in hand. “That one is such a unique piece. I got that from a fellow in India. Only made one other piece from it so far. It was a dress actually. Come with me, I’ll show you the pictures.” Poe trailed off with Lando.

“So, what about you?” Han asked Armitage. “Anything strike your fancy?”

“I was actually debating over two different pieces I saw earlier,” he answered.

“Well, let’s take a look,” Han suggested.

Armitage showed him the two suits that had caught his eye. One was a light navy-blue suit and the other was a heather gray. He tried on the navy-blue jacket and displayed it for everyone. Han nodded in approval. “Looks good. Try the other one.”

Armitage slipped it off of his shoulders and put the other one on. “That looks good too,” Finn encouraged. “You should check it out in the mirror.”

Armitage made his way to the three-piece angled mirror and stepped up on the platform. He looked at himself with consideration. The gray off-set his hair and skin tone well. He liked the way it looked and too in every angle. He then looked up at caught Ben’s eyes in the mirror. It was a look like he was ready to devour him on the spot. Armitage grinned. “I think this is the one.”


	12. Prom Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls go dress shopping. Everyone gets ready for Prom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to put Prom as one whole chapter, but I just felt like there was so much going on already that I decided to split it up into two chapters. Hope you enjoy!  
> There is a scene where Ben discusses some more of his past with Snoke. I'll mark it with an asterix if you care to skip over it. I'll cover what happens in it in the end notes.

Rey spun around in her new dress. She was in love with it. She loved dresses with a single shoulder, so there was a limited number that were what she wanted. She looked at everything though. She tried on so many formal gowns, she felt like she was playing dress up. The one she’d finally chosen was a long red dress. It went down to the floor and had a slit in the front that went to just above her knee. She smiled at herself in the mirror. She knew this was the one.

Finding a dress for Rose was more difficult. She was so self-conscious. She stepped out of the dressing room in a simple off the shoulder black gown. “That one looks nice,” Leia encouraged.

Rose wouldn’t meet their eyes. “Yeah, it’s nice.”

“Try the silver-blue one next!” Rey suggested excitedly. It was her favorite. It was an empire waist with a halter top. Rose nodded and stepped back into the dressing room. Leia stepped away to look at a few more dresses to bring for Rose to try on.

Rose opened the door slightly. “Hey, could you come zip me up?” she asked Rey.

“Sure!” Rey stepped in with her and zipped her in. She looked at their reflections and smiled. “You look so pretty, Rose!” Without warning, Rose started crying. “What’s wrong?” Rey asked in concern.

“No, I’m not!” She wiped at her eyes and sniffed. “I’m not cute and petite like you! I’m short and awkward and I have this round face and… and…”

“Oh, Rose!” Rey pulled her into her arms. “You ARE beautiful!”

“No, I’m not! I mean, Finn likes YOU, not ME.”

Rey sighed on the inside. That’s what this was about. Rose had been crushing on Finn for a few months now. She didn’t know how to let him know how she felt though. Rey and Finn had a special connection, one she couldn’t quite explain, but she had no affection for him as anything more than a brother. None of that matter though, all Rose could see was that Finn had an interest in Rey rather than her.

Rey didn’t really understand it though. She didn’t have an interest in any of it herself. She wasn’t repulsed by the idea of sex, but it wasn’t something she felt inclined to go after. She wanted to be in a relationship at some point, sure, but she didn’t know if having a sexual relationship was something she’d ever really want. She didn’t understand why Rose, or anyone, really wanted any of that, but she understood that she DID want it and that was what mattered.

Rey pulled away and looked her sister in the eyes. “You ARE beautiful,” she assured her again. “And as for Finn, he’s not the be all end all of your worth. There are TONS of guys at school who would love to date you. I overheard Thannison say he was going to make sure to ask you to dance.”

Rose sniffled. “Really?” Thannison was a senior. He was quiet and worked backstage on the play with Rose.

Rey nodded. “I think he’s been into you since the fall play. But, Rose, your worth isn’t based on how a guy feels about you. Whether Finn is into you or Thannison or, Hell, even Poe, it wouldn’t matter. You’re beautiful. You’re smart and so much fun to be around. You have so much to offer someone and when the time is right, you’ll find the right person.”

Rose sniffled and wiped at her nose. She smiled at Rey and nodded. “You’re right.”

Rey smiled. “Of course, I am,” she joked. She turned Rose back to the mirror. “Now, what do you think of this one? I personally LOVE the beading on the top.”

Rose looked at her reflection and really studied the image in front of her. She smiled. “I really do like it. I think this is the one.”

Phasma helped them with their hair and make-up the night of Prom. “You guys are going to have so much fun,” she told them as she curled Rey’s hair. “I only went to Prom my senior year.”

“That was with Poe, wasn’t it?” Rose said with a grin.

Phasma’s cheeks reddened. “It was,” she answered.

“When are you guys going to tell Mom and Dad?” Rey asked.

Phasma sighed. “I don’t know. I really want to, but I don’t know how it would go. I mean, TECHNICALLY we’re siblings AND he IS a minor.”

“But you guys started dating when you were both under eighteen,” Rose pointed out. “Doesn’t that count for something?”

Phasma shrugged. “I really don’t know. Everything I’ve looked up has been really vague on the subject. There’s so much supposition, I’m not sure what’s true or not.”

“You could just wait until his birthday before you let them know,” Rey suggested. “He turns eighteen the end of July.”

“God, I hope the adoption can go through before then,” Rose commented. She chuckled. “Although it DOES seem a little unnecessary when he’s going to be a legal adult soon any way.”

Phasma nodded. “Mom and Dad talked to him about it. They asked him what he wanted. Even with the stipend he would get as an adult in the foster care system, he said he wanted to LEGALLY belong to them. He feels he owes so much to them, ya know. He adores Mom more than anything.” She laughed. “He adores her more than he does ME sometimes.”

Rey chuckled. “I think it’s just adoration in a different way.”

Down the hall, Poe and Finn were in their room getting dressed. Finn looked dapper in his deep purple suit. “I still can’t believe you went with that,” Finn teased as Poe slipped his orange suit jacket on.

“Hey, I look good,” he replied.

“Has Phasma seen it?”

Poe smiled. “Nope. She is gonna flip.”

“She upset that you’re taking Rose to Prom?” he joked. Since they each had to be invited by an attending Junior or Senior, officially, Rose was Poe’s date, Rey was being attended by Armitage and Finn was Ben’s date. Ben and Finn agreed to get matching ties. Everyone else agreed to do the same with their ‘date. Armitage wore a red tie to go along with Rey’s gown and Poe got a silver-blue tie to match Rose’s dress.

“I think she’s okay with it,” he answered. He looked in the full-length mirror and took a deep breath. He knew it wasn’t his and Phasma’s Prom night, but he had made a decision. They were going to go all the way tonight. He knew it was cliché, but he also thought she might think it was kind of romantic.

In their room, Ben tried to tie is tie several times before he finally gave up. He turned to Armitage. “Do you think you could do it for me?”

Armitage grinned. “I was waiting to see how many times you were going to try before you asked.” He pushed himself off from the dresser where he’d been leaning and stepped toward him. He grabbed his tie and pulled him forward, kissing him deeply. Ben audibly sighed into the kiss. They’d started stealing kisses off and on since they admitted their feelings. Armitage was still trying to take it slow for Ben’s sake. It was difficult sometimes, but he understood and respected it. When he finally broke the kiss, Ben pulled away and smiled. Armitage started to do his tie for him.

Ben really liked Armitage. He was fun and sweet and really smart. He was still getting used to some of his quirks, like when they slept in his bed, the next morning, he had to make the bed. Not just straighten the bedding, Ben could deal with that, but no. He lined up the sheets and the blankets and tucked them in, even if he had to untuck them before doing so. It drove Ben a little crazy, but he just let it be. He tried to be understanding of Armitage’s OCD. It couldn’t be easy living with it in such a chaotic world, so if he could offer just that bit of solace in the comfort of their room, he’d do so.

“You look gorgeous,” Armitage said after he’d finished with his tie.

Ben smiled and looked at the floor. He still wasn’t used to compliments, especially about his appearance. “Thanks. You look really nice too.”

Armitage raised an eyebrow. “Just ‘really nice’?”

Ben chuckled and wrapped his arms around him. “No, you look fucking hot.” He kissed him deeply, biting at his lower lip as he pulled away. “Absolutely sexy.”

“You’re far too kind.” He pulled himself out of Ben’s arms. “We should get going. I would hate to be late and make everyone else wait for us.” Before Ben could even object, Armitage had crossed their small room and exited. Ben followed close behind.

Rose and Rey were already downstairs in the living room, with Leia taking pictures of them. They were giddy like Armitage had never seen them before. They posed and giggled. They were really having fun. Armitage had no interest in attending this social gathering, but looking at how much happiness it brought to his sisters, made him feel better about making the decision to go.

“Tage! Ben! Come take pictures with us!” Rose squealed.

They posed together and then Leia took a few shots of Rey and Armitage together. She then took individual photos of the boys as well. Finn and Poe finally joined them and Leia added them into the mix of photos. She made sure to take pictures of each of the ‘couples’ as well. Everyone was enjoying themselves and they hadn’t even gotten to the party yet.

Once Leia had finally taken enough photos to fill an entire scrapbook, she finally told them about her surprise. “I know it’s excessive, but I rented a limo for you guys tonight.”

“No way!” Rose and Rey said in unison. Leia nodded with a smiled. Both girls rushed to her and wrapped their arms around her. “You’re the best, Mom,” Rey said.

“I love you guys so much,” Leia replied as she kissed each of the girls on the top of their heads. “Have fun and be safe.”

“We will,” everyone replied. They each gave a hug and a good bye to Leia and Han before they left. As they stepped through the front door, they were greeted by a long dark limousine sitting in their driveway. A man stood by the passenger door waiting. He opened it and greeted them. They all piled in excitedly.

There was sparling cider in buckets of ice waiting for them and six champagne glasses. Poe opened a bottle and poured some into each person’s glass. “A toast,” he offered as he raised his glass. “To a fun and memorable evening.”

Prom was being hosted at the Hilton. It was beautiful. Rey was in awe of the lights and sounds; she knew it was going to be a magical evening. They gave their tickets at the door and walked inside. “You guys want to get pictures done early?” Rose asked. “That way we can just enjoy the rest of the night.” Everyone agreed. They knew if they didn’t get professional pictures done, Leia was going to have an aneurysm. They quickly got in line. They did a group shot of all six of them; it took longer than necessary since Poe couldn’t stop hamming it up and goofing around. Then Rey and Rose did one together.

Rey wanted to make sure she spent as much time as she could with Rose. They still didn’t know when Paige was going to arrive and whisk her away, so she wanted to make every moment count. Rose was her best friend. She tried not to think about her leaving for the rest of the night.

After pictures, they made their way to the dance floor. Poe was exuberant with his moves, it made everyone laugh. Ben didn’t really know how to dance. He made minimal effort standing with everyone swaying back and forth to the music. Armitage’s eyes met his and he smiled at him. “You really don’t know how to dance, do you?” he asked over the music. Ben shook his head.

“I’ll teach you,” Poe offered. He stood behind Ben and put his arms around him. Ben froze and his breath caught in his throat. Terrible memories flooded his mind. “Hey, you okay?” Poe asked. Ben just nodded. “Hey, just relax.” Those words broke a damn inside him.

“Please, don’t!” he said as he pulled away from Poe.

Poe stepped back in surprise. He raised his hands in front of him. “Hey, it’s okay. Sorry.”

Armitage grabbed Ben’s hand to help ground him. Since they’d started ‘seeing each other’, as it were, Ben had opened up to him about a lot of what had happened in his past.

“When we DO decide to be more physical,” Ben said to him as they laid in his bed one night, “I can’t bottom. I’m sorry, I… It brings back too many memories.”

Armitage held him close. “Tell me.” He quickly added, “If you want to. I don’t want you to relive them if you don’t have to.”

*Ben took a deep breath. He felt comfortable with him. He wanted to let him in, in every way. Opening up about his past was probably the first step. For any ‘normal’ person it would probably be the easiest too, but he knew that his past was marred with horror. “He wasn’t always terrible to me, Snoke. Sometimes he was even affectionate, but most of the time… He never asked. He forced himself on me. There was one time, he… He had a ‘party’ with some people. They all brought their ‘pets’ with them.” Armitage didn’t have to ask. He understood him meaning.

“He always hosted these events. He didn’t trust me to take me out of the house. He dressed me in leather assless chaps and this leather strapped top.” Armitage snuggled closer to his chest, a way of saying ‘I’m here and you’re safe’. He continued. “He put a collar on me too. Black leather of course, but it had diamond studs on it. All the others were dressed similarly, but Snoke needed to make sure I was the most beautiful. Some of them were on leashes; others, like myself, were better trained and allowed to be off of a leash.

“They sat around and talked about business. Some of them were actually just regular business men, others were in a different trade.” Armitage listened carefully. He didn’t want to hear about it, but he knew it was cathartic for Ben to talk about it, so he just listened. “Eventually, some of them would trade their ‘pets’ between each other. Snoke usually liked to display my ‘skills’ by having me suck him off in front of everyone. Sometimes, when he was feeling generous, he’d let them take me from behind while I went down on him.

“This party, though, he… He took me to another room with one of the other men and his ‘pet’. He was just a boy; he couldn’t have been more than ten years old. You could see how scared he was. He trembled and the man would hit him without any provocation. That night, Snoke, he made me…” There were tears in his eyes. “I raped that little boy! The man had him blow me and then before I was finished, they made me… Made me pull out and fuck him. They didn’t let me prep him or anything. I didn’t want to! And he cried and screamed. I hated myself so much! But Snoke threatened me. He… He said he wouldn’t feed me for a week if I didn’t do it. He’d already had me eating so little, I couldn’t go a whole week. I… I hated myself. I’m such a monster!” Ben sobbed.

Armitage pulled him close. “No, no, Ben, you’re not. You were a victim just as much as that boy was.”

*Ben sniffled. “That’s the only time I’ve ever given it. I’ve always been on the receiving end. I’m so sorry!”

“Ben, listen, it’s not your fault. You need to understand that.” Armitage wiped his tears from his face. “We’re taking things slow, remember? We’ll never do anything that makes you uncomfortable, I promise.”

Ben sniffled again. “What if… What if I NEVER want to do anything? What if sex is completely off the table?”

Armitage kissed him gently. “Then it is. That won’t change anything.”

“You promise?”

“I swear it.”

Ben was pulled back into the moment when I felt Armitage’s hand grab his. He looked up at him and met his green eyes. There was a promise there. A promise of safety. He took a deep breath and looked back at Poe. “Sorry.”

“No, no worries, man,” he replied. He didn’t know exactly what he’d done to set him off, but he understood he needed to back off.

“I’m gonna get something to drink,” Ben said and walked away. Armitage wanted to follow after him, but he understood that he needed his space.

The song changed to a slower tempo. “First slow dance of the night,” Rose commented.

Rey grabbed Armitage’s hands. “Dance with me?”

“Of course,” he answered as they joined the other couples on the floor.

Someone near by cleared his throat. They all turned and saw Thannison standing there awkwardly. “Hey, Rose,” he offered quietly. “Would you… Would you care to dance?” he asked. “With me,” he added, as if it wasn’t obviously implied in his request.

She smiled at him brightly. “Absolutely!” She accepted his hand and they too joined the dance floor.

Poe and Finn stood there and watched. “You know she likes you, right?”

Finn turned to him. “What?”

“Rose. She’s into you, man.”

Finn shook his head. “No, she’s not.”

“Yeah, she is,” Poe replied. “You’re just too blind by your infatuation with Rey to see it.”

Finn’s mouth dropped open. “I’m not-”

“Dude, you SO are!” Poe interrupted before he could completely deny it. “It’s obvious.”

Finn looked out at the dance floor and watched her as Armitage spun her and twirled her. She really was beautiful. “Yeah, I like her,” he finally admitted in a whisper. “Do you think she might be in to me?” he asked with hope.

Poe shrugged. “I really couldn’t say.”

“So, you and Ben are a thing, aren’t you?” Rey asked Armitage as he pulled her close to him.

“What? How do you know?”

Rey giggled. “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other when you think no one else is looking. I’m glad. He seems happier.”

“I really do like him.” He sighed. “He’s been through so much though and I don’t want to hurt him.”

Rey smiled. “You’re a good guy, Tage. I’m sure everything will be fine.”

Armitage nodded. He really hoped so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Snoke hosts a party where others bring their sex slaves as well. They are kept on leashes and treated as 'pets'. Snoke and another man force Ben to have sex with another sex slave, a boy who is about ten years old.


	13. Prom Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second part of the evening of Prom.

Ben got a glass of punch from the refreshments table. He took a deep breath and downed the entire small glass. He knew he was over-reacting. Poe wasn’t going to hurt him, but when he had put his hands on him like that, all he could think about was Snoke and everything the man did to him.

Snoke pulled him close. He could see how the others looked at him. He always wanted to make sure his boy was the most beautiful there, but he was still possessive and didn’t want anyone else looking at him. Unless, of course, he was feeling generous. Ben didn’t like feeling Snoke’s body pressed to his, but at least it was him and not one of the other men there. He could take comfort in that. Even later that night when he roughly shoved him down on the bed and pushed into him without any preparation of any kind, he was still grateful it was Snoke and not someone else. He reminded himself that he was letting this man fuck him as a way to say thank you for everything he’d done for him. Snoke took care of him. Gave him a place to sleep. Fed him, fairly regularly, except for when he misbehaved. He wanted to make Snoke happy and was willing to do whatever he needed to do so.

His thoughts were pulled back to the present when he saw Armitage approach. The song had ended and he’d made his way over to check on him. “You alright?” he asked in care.

Ben nodded. “Yeah. It just caught me off guard,” he answered. “We should head back and join everyone.” He turned to make his way back over to their little group, but Armitage stopped him by grabbing his hand.

“If you need more time, don’t feel obligated to go back. It’s alright.”

Ben smiled at him. He liked how much Armitage cared. The concern on his face was really enduring. “I’m okay now.” He pulled Armitage along. “Come on.” They went back to the spot they’d carved out for themselves on the outskirts of the dance floor. Rose hadn’t rejoined them after the slow song, still off dancing with Thannison. Rey smiled as Ben and Armitage came back.

“Hey,” Poe said as they approached, “bro, I didn’t-”

“It’s fine,” Ben assured him. “Don’t worry about it.”

***

“Now, it’s time for that special moment you’ve all been waiting for!” the DJ announced at some point later that evening. “It’s time to announce your Prom King and Queen!”

The whole room erupted in excited cheers. Armitage rolled his eyes. “This is the part I hate the most,” he whispered to Ben.

Ben chuckled. “I’d bet good money you win.”

Armitage laughed. “You’re insane, I hope you realize.”

“Drum roll, please!” A drum roll came over the loudspeakers and then the DJ announced, “Jessika Pava for Prom queen!” Again, everyone shouted and cheered. Armitage smiled. He liked Jessika. She was sweet and got along with everyone. If anyone deserved to be recognized and celebrated, it certainly was her. “Now for your Prom king. Again, drum roll.” You could feel the whole room hold their breath as they waited. “Temmin Wexley!”

Armitage felt a heaviness in his stomach. He wasn’t surprised Snaps was there, but he was hoping that he wasn’t since he had yet to see him. They had agreed that they were just fooling around, but Armitage felt nauseous thinking about him being in the same room as him and Ben.

“Hey, you okay?” Ben asked him.

He nodded. “Going to get something to drink.” He quickly left Ben’s side and went to get a glass of punch. He could smell it before he even drank it; someone had spiked it. Armitage rolled his eyes to himself. ‘What, are we in some kind of high school movie?’ He drank it anyway. The familiar burn was nice in the back of his throat. Ben strode up beside him. He stood there quietly, not wanting to interrupt his thoughts. Armitage filled another glass and downed it quickly. He turned to Ben.

“I need to tell you something,” he finally said.

Ben looked at him curiously. “Okay.”

Armitage took a deep breath. “Snaps and I have more of a history than I initially indicated.”

“Oh,” Ben replied, obviously a little crestfallen. It didn’t take much to realize exactly what Armitage was implying.

“We’ve never dated because he refuses to come out and I told him that I won’t be in a relationship with someone who won’t be honest about who they are.”

Ben was staring at the floor. “So, do you still care for him?”

Armitage paused. It was a complicated question in his mind. He DID still care for Wexley, but he had made himself let go of any hope for a future with him. And now he had Ben. Ben who was so open and honest with him. Ben who cared about him as equally as he cared for him. Ben who didn’t tease him or make fun of him. Ben who was… Better in every way. Armitage grabbed his hands. This made Ben look up and meet his eyes. “I’m with you, Ben. I care for you deeply. You’re who I want to be with.”

“But, do you still care for him?” he asked again. He wasn’t questioning Armitage’s feelings for him, he KNEW Armitage loved him, but he wanted to know if there was still a place in his heart for Snaps Wexley.

Armitage kept his gaze locked on his as he answered honestly. “Yes, I won’t deny that, but I belong to you now.”

Ben smiled. “I’ve never had someone who was mine before.”

Armitage smiled back. “Well, now you do.” He leaned forward and kissed him.

“Woah, boys!” they heard a familiar voice say. They quickly pulled apart and saw Rey standing there with a grin. “Look, Ben, the next time you want to make a move on my date, don’t do it when I’m in the same room,” she joked. “So, you’re official then, I see.” Her grin turned into a wide smile. “I’m so happy for you!” She threw her arms around Armitage and then she turned to Ben and gave him a tight hug too. “Let’s go tell the boys!” Rey grabbed Armitage by the hand and started dragging him along. He laughed as he let her pull him back to their little corner of the room. Ben followed with a smile.

“Poe, Finn, Rose!” She hollered as she approached. “Oh, hey Thannison,” she added as an after-thought, when she realized he was there. “Guess what! Ben and Armitage have exciting new!”

“That they’re together?” Poe asked.

“Yes!” she answered as she jumped up and down and clapped. She stopped. “Wait. You already knew?”

Poe laughed. “Yeah, they thought they were being subtle with the way they eye-fucked each other across the dinner table every night.”

“Not to mention, all the little kisses they exchanged when they thought no one was looking,” Finn added.

Rey crossed her arms and frowned. “Why am I always the last person to know about these kinds of things?”

Rose laughed. “Hey, I just found out too, but it’s probably because you have a big mouth and can’t keep a secret from Mom and Dad to save your life.” Everyone laughed because it was true.

“Well, congratulations,” Thannison offered kindly.

“Thank you,” Armitage replied as he took Ben’s hand in his own.

“You guys are really cute together,” Finn commented. “Maybe even cuter than Poe and Phasma,” he joked.

Poe slugged him in the arm. “Watch yourself,” he said with a chuckle.

Ben grinned. He was the happiest he had been in a long time.

Soon enough, the evening drew to a close. Neither Rey or Rose were still wearing their heels; both of them clutching them in their hands as they headed to the parking lot. Poe had his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, holding it by the collar. Ben had finally pulled his hair back into a half-pony tail just to keep it out of his face while they danced and Armitage had his jacket much like Poe had his, but he also had his sleeves rolled up nicely to his elbows. Ben couldn’t believe how sexy that was. Forearms aren’t typically a feature a person finds attractive, but seeing Armitage’s pale skin exposed like that did things to him. He shook his head as if trying to shake the thoughts away.

“Mom said Phasma would pick us up,” Poe mentioned. “Guess she didn’t want to pay for the limo to stick around,” he chuckled. “I think I see her.” He said as he pointed out to the parking lot. There she was, standing by the van in a pair of black yoga pants and a baggy gray t-shirt that said ‘power to the females’ on it. Poe bit his lip. She was so sexy. No matter what she wore, he couldn’t help staring at her, but this outfit seemed to hug her in all the right places. Even with the baggy t-shirt, it hung off her figure in a way that accentuated her best features.

They all started heading to the van, when Armitage heard a familiar voice call out to him. “Hey, Red! Where you going?” He sighed heavily and turned to see Wexley and three of his friends walking toward them. He had his arms slung around the shoulders of two girls, one on each side. He was stumbling a little as well. He’d probably known the punch was spiked; probably did it himself, and had drank enough to cause himself to be a bit tipsy.

“Rey, Rose, go to the car, please,” Armitage said. It was a request, but there was a commanding tone to his voice.

“Okay,” Rey replied, her voice shaking. She grabbed Rose’s hand. “Come on.” She quickly dragged her away toward the van.

Armitage looked at Wexley disapprovingly. “Snaps, how are you?”

“I’m doing great!” he took a swig from a water bottle he had in one hand. Armitage was sure there was alcohol inside. “Looks like you’re doing fine yourself.” He smiled, but it was an unnerving smile.

“Hey, congratulations on Prom king,” Poe said, trying to steer the conversation away from focus on Armitage.

“Thanks! Of course, I really was hoping Red here would be my queen.” He pulled away from the girls he had himself wrapped around and stepped toward Armitage. Ben stepped in between them.

“Leave him alone,” he warned.

“Ooo, looks like goth boy is trying to be your big protector,” he taunted. “He your knight in shining armor?”

“You need to back off… NOW,” Ben warned with a near whisper.

“You threatening me, fag?” he said as he gave him a slight push.

Ben stood his ground. “I’ve already kicked your ass once. I’d hate to have to do it again.”

“You didn’t kick my ass,” Snaps replied.

“Yeah, I did.”

“You didn’t do shit!” He threw his water bottle down. “Come on, rematch! Right now!”

“Temmin!” Armitage shouted. “Leave it be.”

“No,” Ben interjected. “He wants a rematch, I don’t mind kicking his ass again.” He took his jacket off and handed it to Finn. He didn’t seem to know what to do, so he took it.

“Ben, don’t,” Armitage warned. “This isn’t school property. You won’t just get suspended and then everything will be fine. The police could get involved. You could end up in jail.”

“Worried I’ll ruin his pretty face,” Wexley commented. “Not much to ruin.” He and his lackeys laughed. There was a small group standing on the outskirts now. Other students were coming out to their cars to leave for the night. Some stopped to see what the commotion was.

“Ben, please, just walk away,” Armitage encouraged.

“This fucker isn’t ever gonna leave you alone unless I make him,” he replied. “This ends tonight.”

“Are you doing this for me or for you?” he asked. Ben paused. Armitage continued, “Because if it IS for me, I’m asking you NOT to. Please!”

Ben looked him in the eyes. There was a pleading in those green eyes he’d never seen before. He nodded. “Okay.” He looked at Wexley. “Perhaps another time.” 

“Looks like the goth fag is too scared,” he taunted. Several people laughed.

“You know, you throw that word around like an insult a lot for someone who happens to be into dudes.”

Wexley’s eyes grew wide. “What?”

“You’re in the closet dude,” Ben answered. “Armitage said you enjoy sucking down cock way too much to be straight. Must be a sad existence, not being able to accept yourself for who you are. Can’t imagine anyone else can if you can’t yourself.”

“I’m not a fag!”

“Dude, we all know,” Poe stepped in. “Honestly, most people are too scared of you so they just pretend like you’re not. Let it go, bro.”

“I’m not a fucking fag!” he yelled as he swung at Poe. Poe took the hit and stumbled back. Ben was about to retaliate, when suddenly, Armitage’s fist met Wexley’s jaw. He stumbled back as well, his friends catching him before he could fall to the ground.

“Don’t mess with my friends, Temmin,” Armitage warned. He turned and grabbed Ben by the arm. “Let’s go.” The four of them started heading to the van. 

“Don’t you fucking walk away from me, Armitage!” Wexley yelled. He kept walking. “We’re through! You hear me! I’m going to make your life a living Hell!”

They got to the van and climbed inside. “Let’s go home,” Armitage said morosely. No one said anything on the drive home.

Han and Leia were already in bed when they got home. The house was dim, with only a minimal number of lights on. “You guys have a good time?” Phasma asked Rey and Rose.

“It was a blast!” Rose answered.

“We had loads of fun,” Rey assured her.

She smiled. “I’m glad.” She gave them both a hug. “You both looked so lovely. Hope you sleep well.”

“Night!” the girls called as they went upstairs to their bedroom.

Phasma turned to Poe. “Let’s get some ice for you face.”

“I’m fine,” he answered.

“I don’t care,” she replied. She grabbed his hand and started dragging him to the kitchen. “See you boys in the morning!”

“Night,” Ben, Armitage, and Finn all called back in unison. They went upstairs to their rooms. They said good night to Finn as he went to his room and Ben and Armitage to theirs. Armitage didn’t say anything to Ben as he closed the door behind him and started to undress.

“I’m sorry,” Ben finally offered.

“It’s fine, Ben,” he assured him as he hung up his suit after removing each piece.

“Look, I didn’t mean to get into a fight with him.”

Armitage sighed. “I know.” He turned to him. “You’re so volatile. You quickly lean into your aggression with little provocation.”

Ben nodded. “I know.”

“Doesn’t that frighten you?”

Ben shrugged. “Maybe a little. I always give into it ‘cause it feels like it gives me power, ya know? Like I have some control in my life.”

Armitage looked at him with an expression Ben couldn’t quite read. “It sounds more like it controls YOU.”

Ben sighed and looked at the ground. “I’m sorry.”

Armitage shook his head. “It’s fine.” He put his shoes in the closet and lined them up next to the others he had. “Let’s just go to bed.” He went to Ben and began helping him undress. It was strange to let someone else undress him, especially when there was no sexuality behind it. Armitage was LITERALLY just helping him undress, with no other intent behind it. He hung up Ben’s suit once he’d disrobed and put his shoes next his own.

“Do you… Do you want to… I mean…”

Armitage looked over at him with an inquisitive expression. “Want to what?”

“Well, it’s Prom and I just thought, that, I mean, if you wanted, I guess we could, you know, if you wanted to, but we don’t have to-”

“Are you asking me to have sex with you?”

Ben wouldn’t meet his eyes. He wanted to make Armitage happy. He wanted to please him however he could. “If you wanted to.”

Armitage stepped closer and grabbed his hands. Ben looked up at him. “You can’t even LOOK at me when you ask, Ben. I really don’t think you’re ready.”

“I AM!” he protested. He licked his lips. “I want to. For you.”

Armitage stared into his eyes for a moment before he shook his head. “No, we’re not going to just ‘because it’s Prom’. When we have a better reason, we will.”

Ben pulled him close. “How about because I want to make you happy?” he asked just before he kissed him. Ben enjoyed kissing. It was one of the few physical affections Snoke hadn’t ruined for him. He licked into Armitage’s mouth gently, almost hesitantly, but he wasn’t. He knew what he wanted. Armitage’s hands immediately went into Ben’s hair. It was still half up from the dance earlier. He grabbed at the hair tie and pulled it from his dark locks and slipped it onto his wrist just before he buried his fingers into his hair. He kissed Ben back as Ben pressed into him, gently pushing him against the wall. Armitage sighed in pleasure. He could few Ben’s half-hard prick pressed against his own.

God, he wanted to fuck him or be fucked by him so badly. It wasn’t just a physical desire either, there was an emotional connection he had with Ben that he’d never shared with anyone before. He’d always thought he’d shared one with Temmin, but he was now coming to realize it had always been one-sided. Temmin was selfish and only with him to feed his physical want. Ben wanted Armitage any way he could; physical, emotional, sexual, it didn’t matter, as long as it was Armitage, that was all that mattered.

Armitage finally pulled away from their frantic kisses. “Ben, I love you,” he said.

Ben stopped and for a moment, Armitage feared he’d said the wrong thing. The corners of Ben’s lips began to curl up in a half smile, as though he were afraid to allow himself a full smile. “You do?”

He nodded. “I do,” he answered.

Ben’s lips seemed to finally make the decision to break into a full out grin. “I don’t think anyone’s ever loved me before. I… I love you too.”

Armitage leaned in and kissed him gently. He pulled away and rested his forehead against his. “I meant it when I said I want to take things slowly. Please, don’t ever say you want to do something just to please me. This is about US, not just ME.”

Ben nodded slightly. “Okay.”

Armitage gave him another peck on the lips and then a quick Eskimo kiss, pressing his nose gently against his. “Let’s go to bed. How about I give you a back rub.”

Ben looked at him in uncertainty. “Yeah?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I still want to make you happy, Ben. There are other ways for us to be intimate without having sex.”

Ben could feel tears in his eyes. How had he gotten so lucky? He was now with a wonderful family that actually seemed to care. He had Armitage, who was willing to work with him when it came to his aversion to sexual intimacy. He smiled at him. “Okay,” he replied. He peeled off his under-shirt and laid down in bed on his stomach. Armitage picked up his shirt and put it in the dirty clothes hamper before making his way back to Ben.

Armitage straddled his hips and put his hands on his back. His started to press his hands into his skin. Ben closed his eyes and let out a moan. Armitage chuckled. “I’ve barley begun my love.”

“It’s already so good,” he replied as he relaxed into his touch.

Armitage smiled to himself. He was glad he could give Ben pleasure like this. He wanted to make love to Ben, absolutely, but he understood his hesitance and discomfort. He hoped that one day they’d be able to make it work, but for now, he was happy to make Ben happy in any way.

In the kitchen, Phasma filled an ice bag and out it against Poe's cheek. "You are an idiot," she said disapprovingly.

He smiled. "Yeah, but I'm YOUR idiot."

"I should have gotten into the middle of it and stopped it before it started."

Poe shook his head. "We handled it."

Phasma huffed. "Yeah, looks like you handled it REAL well."

Poe set the ice bag down. "I'm fine, I promise." He grabbed Phasma by the hips and pulled her to him. He turned his head up and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. He finally pulled away and whispered, "Why don't we take this back to your place."

Phasma chuckled. "You should probably head to bed."

Poe bit his lip. "I was thinking, you now, it's Prom night. Maybe we could, have sex."

Phasma looked at him in surprise. "What?"

He held her hands tightly. "Look, babe, you mean everything to me. I love you more than anyone or anything in the WORLD! I want to show you that." He kissed her gently on the lips. "Let me make love to you. The way I've always wanted to."

"But, what about you being under eighteen?" she argued.

Poe shook his head. "I don't care. I've thought about this a lot. There's no way you can get in trouble because no one is going to care. I love you, Phasma."

She could feel tears in her eyes. She was so happy. "I love you too." She kissed him once more before dragging him away to her room.


	14. Paige From the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into the past of some of our characters and what causes their hesitance in their relationships.  
> Chewie guest stars for family dinner.  
> Leia and Han have a serious conversation with their boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say for this chapter. Hope you enjoy it!

Poe was curled up in a ball while he was kicked by several guys. He wanted to cry, he was in so much pain, but he refused. He had to be strong. He had to show them he could be one of them. “All right!” his cousin, Gabe, shouted as he shoved the other guys away. “I think he’s proven himself.” He grabbed Poe by the hand and pulled him to his feet. He was having a hard time standing up, but he did his best any way. His face was swelling and he had blood running down it. Gabe clapped him on the back. “You did well, little cousin. You’re now a brother in Kanjiklub.”

Poe hated that he’d been a part of the gang, but at the time, it felt right. His cousin had taken care of him after his parents had died. His parents hadn’t been affiliated with the gang, yet they’d been killed because of them. They were visiting family and got caught in the crossfire of a drive by. From that day on, Poe wanted to be a Kanjiklub. He wanted to get back at the Guavian Death Gang for what they’d taken from him.

As Poe looked down at Phasma while she slept, he felt a pang of regret for everything he’d done in his past. Phasma was beautiful and sweet. She’d never hurt anyone, unless they deserved it. Poe had hurt a lot of people. He started to wonder if he even deserved someone as wonderful as Phasma.

The night before had been magical. It wasn’t like Poe had never had sex before, but it was different when it was with Phasma. He wanted to please her; make her as happy as he could. He fished a condom from his pocket. “What are you doing?” she asked in almost an offended tone.

He grinned at her. “You want to put it on me?”

“No,” she answered. “I don’t want you to wear it.”

Poe looked down at her in surprise. “Really? I just thought-”

“I want YOU, Poe,” she interrupted. “Trust me, it’s okay.”

Poe bit his lip. He wanted to do this without protection too; it would feel so much better, but he was concerned. “Are you sure? I mean, it’s not like either of us have anything, but what about getting pregnant?”

Phasma smiled up at him. “It’s okay. I don’t think it’ll happen; I’ve been tracking my period and I’m not ovulating right now and even if it happens… We’ll deal with it. One way or another.” She leaned up and kissed him deeply. “I love you, Poe. Let’s do this.”

They’d fooled around a lot since they’d stared dating. They’d seen each other come before, but this time, when Poe finished, he leaned down and kissed her. He gently pulled out and laid down next to her. He curled up beside her and nuzzled her neck. Poe heard Phasma sniffle. He opened his eyes and sat up. “Hey, you okay?”

She smiled and wiped at her eyes. “I’m fine.”

Poe’s face was covered in concern. He wiped away a tear from her cheek. “What’s wrong?”

Phasma sniffled again. “I’m just so happy.”

Poe smiled now too. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, kissing away each tear. Then he kissed her lips gently. “That’s all that matters to me.”

Poe kissed her now before he crawled out of bed. He gathered his clothes, put his boxers and shirt on, and then headed upstairs to his room. He stopped when he saw that Finn wasn’t in bed. “Have a good night?” he heard him ask from behind him.

He turned and smiled. “Hey!” trying to play it cool.

Finn grinned. “I know you didn’t come to bed last night.” He moved passed him and went to his bed. “If you’d been about five minutes quicker, I might have still been in bed and had thought you’d just gotten up to use the bathroom.” He sat down. “But, seeing how it was unoccupied, I can guess where you might have been. So, how was it?”

Poe smiled. “It was great.” He sighed happily. “God, I love her so much.”

Finn nodded. “I’m happy for you, bro.”

***

Armitage woke to his phone buzzing. He groaned and looked at it. He groaned again as he read it.

Snaps: I’m so sorry! Please talk to me!!! I’m sorry!

Armitage turned his phone off and curled up in Ben’s arms. He didn’t want to think about Temmin. He had Ben now. Why did he feel like his heart was being torn apart then? He pulled himself from Ben’s warm body and got out of bed. He dressed quickly and headed downstairs. Leia was sitting on the couch, drinking a cup of coffee, and reading the morning paper. She looked up when she heard Armitage. She smiled at him. “Hey, sweetie!” She folded the paper up and set it on the coffee table. “How was the dance last night?”

Armitage nodded. “It was a lot of fun.” He went over to the couch and sat next to her. He pulled his feet up underneath him and leaned into his mom. She set her coffee down and put her arm around him.

“You okay?”

Armitage shook his head. He felt tears forming, but he didn’t want to cry. He shouldn’t cry, not over Snaps Wexley. He shouldn’t cry, Ben was in his life. He had no reason to and yet he felt a heaviness in his heart he’d never felt before. “I don’t know what to do, Mom,” he finally whispered in a broken voice.

Leia stroked his hair. “What’s the matter? Talk to me,” she encouraged.

“I don’t know what to do," he repeated. Leia stayed quiet and waited for him to go on. “I’m scared someone is going to get hurt and it’s going to be all my fault!”

“Why? What happened?”

Armitage was crying now. He didn’t know when he’d finally let the tears fall, but they were running down his cheek now. He sniffled. He didn’t know how to tell her. Hell, he wasn’t even entirely sure why he was so upset. “I… It’s Wexley.”

“Tell me,” she encouraged.

How could he tell her without telling her about him and Ben? He sighed, he decided he’d tell her the truth. He sniffled again. “He’s upset that I’m seeing someone. Not that he has any RIGHT to be since we aren’t together and he refused to come out so that we COULD be together, and-”

“You’re seeing someone?” Leia interrupted.

Armitage nodded. “We haven’t wanted to say anything. We’ve been trying to figure things out ourselves. Ben and I have started going steady.”

Leia chuckled. “You’re probably the only person your age who talks like that, Armie.” She paused. “You know we’re going to have to put you in separate rooms, right?”

Armitage chuckled now. “Why do you think I was hesitant to say anything?” he joked. He sighed, becoming serious once again. “But, like I said, Snaps is upset it.”

“And how do YOU feel about it?”

He sniffled, pulled away and wiped his eyes. “Ben is wonderful! He’s smart and fun. He makes me feel good in my own skin, like who I am is enough. Like I’m not broken or some kind of freak.” Leia was about to interrupt, but Armitage stopped her. “I know, I know. I’m NOT a freak, but I still feel like a bother sometimes when I get obsessively compulsive about things, but he just takes it in stride. He doesn’t mind when I reorganize the closet half a dozen times in one night. He lets me arrange our shoes in the closet the way I like. There are times I can tell it gets on his nerves, but he just lets me be me.”

Leia smiled. “It sounds like he’s good for you.” She paused. “So, what’s Wexley’s place in all of this?”

Armitage sighed and leaned back. “I still care for him. I know I’m stupid for it, but I do.”

Leia reached over and combed her fingers through her son’s hair affectionately. “You’re not stupid. The heart isn’t really logical.”

“I know. I just wish it were.” He glanced over at his mom. “You should probably know that we got into a fight at the dance last night.”

Leia shook her head with a smile. “What are we going to do with you?”

“Love me?” he suggested hopefully.

Leia chuckled and pulled him into a hug. “We do. We do.”

***

As usual, Chewie had joined them for Sunday night dinner. Rey and Rose talked his ear off about the dance last night. He smiled and listened intently. “It sounds like my little sparrows had a WONDERFUL time,” he said. “I’m happy for you. You children are such wonders. You deserve happiness. I wish it upon you and your parents every day.”

Rey nudged Rose with her elbow. “Are you gonna tell them?”

Han looked up from his plate. “Tell us what?” he asked, concerned.

Rose smiled and looked down at the table. She was obviously embarrassed. In a quiet voice she answered, “Thannison asked me on a date.”

“Yeah!?” Phasma chimed in excitedly. “Please let me help you with your hair and make-up!” she begged. “I had so much fun doing it for the dance.”

“You’re such a girl,” Poe teased.

“Yeah, well, it’s what you like best about me,” she retorted.

“There is nothing wrong with femininity,” Chewie mentioned. “And, of course, it looks beautiful on you, Phasma.”

She smiled over at her surrogate uncle. “Thank you.”

“I don’t think I tell you children enough how beautiful you are. Han and Leia have done a splendid job in raising you! And you each have a strength inside of you that makes you powerful! Yes, YES! I am fortunate man to have known you.”

Han rested a hand on his arm. “You okay, pal. You’re getting a bit sentimental,” he joked.

Chewie waved his hand. “I watched a Hallmark movie last night. Very inspirational.” Everyone laughed, but it wasn’t out of the ordinary for Chewie to get worked up like this. He loved his family and wanted them to know how blessed he was to call them his.

Han had come into his life so unexpectedly. Chewie didn’t think he was ready to take on the role of a dad, but when he looked down into that little boy’s eyes, he saw something he didn’t expect. Most people were afraid of him. He was broad and tall with a beard that seemed to overtake his face. Many people said he had a menacing look about him. So, when he looked at that little boy and saw, not fear, but hope, he was taken aback. He knelt down, meeting his gaze. Han’s eyes weren’t filled with any apprehension, but a pleading. Those big brown eyes were begging to be loved. “I’m going to be your Papa now,” Chewie whispered. He didn’t know what had possessed him to say that, but he knew it was true, even as the words spilled from his mouth.

After dinner, Chewie went to the family room downstairs to play a board game with the girls. Han and Leia asked the boys to stay behind for a moment so they could talk to them.

Leia gave them all a reassuring smile. “You’re not in trouble,” she began, “we just needed to discuss something with you boys.”

Han spoke next. “It’s come to our attention, that two of you have decided to start dating.” Ben glanced over at Armitage, but didn’t say anything. Han caught the look and chuckled. “It’s not a big deal, kid. We’re actually really happy for the both of you. However, we don’t feel it would be right to have you share a room if you’re seeing each other.”

“We were hoping Poe and Ben would be willing to swap rooms,” Leia added.

Poe nodded. “Yeah, I’d be fine with that.”

“Why?” Ben asked, angrier than he’d intended.

“We just don’t feel it would be right to have you sleeping in the same room together since you’re, well, TOGETHER,” Han answered.

Ben crossed his arms and leaned back. “I just don’t see what the big deal is.”

Han took a deep breath. He needed to keep a level head if they were going to talk about this civilly. “Do you think it would be okay for Finn and Rey to share a room if they were dating?”

Ben refused to meet his eyes. He knew he had a point, but he didn’t like it. He LOVED sharing a room with Armitage! He sighed. “So, we can’t spend the night together anymore?” he asked. He looked up now, meeting Han’s gaze.

“Han and I discussed that,” Leia answered. “We don’t mind, but we will be putting boundaries on it. As of right now, not on school nights. And you have to make sure it’s okay with your roommate.”

Poe shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me any.” He looked at Armitage and grinned. “Just let me know ahead of time if you guys need some…” he cleared his throat, “ALONE time.”

Armitage just shook his head and rolled his eyes. Poe was such a joker; always teasing and poking fun at those he loved. He loved Poe, but there was a part of him that had hoped it would be Finn moving into his room. He knew how chaotic a person Poe was. He did figure though, having him in his room would mean Ben would be over more often than he would be in Ben’s room. Poe could spend time with Phasma and then Ben could come over and spend time with him.

“There anything else?” Armitage asked.

Leia bit her lip nervously. “There is actually. Finn, Poe, you both can go. We need to talk to Armie and Ben.”

“Sure thing,” Poe said. He and Finn got up and left.

Han took a deep breath. “We know this isn’t a comfortable topic, but we felt it was important. We just wanted to say that whatever you do, it’s none of our business, but we ask that you be safe. So, if you need us to get you condoms or anything like that, just let us know, no judgement. We just want you to be safe.”

Armitage couldn’t help himself, he burst out into laughter. “Really? I mean, REALLY?! You’re giving us the ‘sex talk’?”

Leia looked at him sternly. “Yes,” her simple answer seemed to sober him up. She continued, “It’s not JUST because of Ben being HIV positive either. Sexually transmitted diseases and infections are very serious. We care about you both and want you to be safe.”

“We’re not having sex,” Ben finally said. “Not that it’s any of your business, like you said, but we’re not.”

“Well, when you decide to,” Leia added, “like Han said, we can purchase condoms for you if you need us to. Or we can give you the money to buy them yourselves. We just want you to use protection, okay?”

“Who said we ever will?”

“No one’s saying that.”

“YOU just did!” Ben accused. “You said ‘when you decide to’. Who said we ever will?!”

Leia shook her head. “You’re missing the point.”

“The point is, I can do what I want with my body. If we decide we want to have unprotected sex, we can, you can’t stop us.”

“Hey, kid,” Han chimed in, “we’re just trying to look out for you. You’re right, you can do whatever you want, but we’re ASKING that IF and when you start having sex, that you use protection. I would hope that out of respect for us and our home you would take it into consideration.”

Ben huffed. “Fine.” He paused and then asked, “When do you want me and Poe to switch rooms?”

“You guys can do it tomorrow,” Han answered. “I know that doesn’t fit with our ‘not on school nights’ rule, but we thought we’d give you another night.”

Ben nodded. “Okay.” He paused and then added, “Sorry.”

“About what?”

“Just getting so worked up,” he answered. “I shouldn’t have yelled like that. I’m sorry.” He really did feel bad about it. Han and Leia were perfectly wonderful and he knew he should respect them and their home. He hadn’t been with them for long, but already they’d given him so much. Unlike Snoke, they gave to him and expected nothing in return. Asking to follow a few rules wasn’t too much to ask for their kindness.

“It’s alright,” Han assured him.

Their attention was then turned to the front door when they heard the doorbell ring. “You expecting anyone?” Leia asked as she stood up.

Han shook his head. “Nope.” He followed his wife to the living room where they answered the door. A young woman stood there on the front step.

Leia smiled kindly. “Can we help you?”

The woman looked directly at her and answered. “I’m Paige Tico. I’m here for my sister.”


	15. Blood of the Covenant is Thicker than Water of the Womb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paige makes decisions on her life with Rose.  
> Poe has to face someone from his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting last week. I try to every weekend, but life happens.  
> Anyway, there is a small sex scene between Armitage and Ben. I marker it with * if you want to skip over it.  
> Also, I went back and read some of the first chapters and I made mention that Rose's parents are still alive! I'll edit that asap so that it fits.  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Leia’s breath caught in her chest. She should have known before she even spoke. The woman standing in front of her looked just like Rose. Her almond shaped eyes were the same dark color and they had the same oval shaped face. Paige’s chin was more pointed than Rose’s but it gave her a look of authority where Rose’s kept her looking sweet and innocent.

“Please, come in,” Leia finally offered, opening the door for her. She stepped over the threshold with a sense of confidence she had never seen in Rose. It seemed, in many ways, Rose’s big sister was her opposite.

“We’ll go get her,” Armitage offered. He grabbed Ben by the arm and dragged him away. Leia chuckled to herself. It was obvious he just wanted an excuse to step away from the awkward situation.

“Won’t you have a seat?” Leia offered.

Paige shook her head. “No. I won’t be staying long.” She looked around the room, almost as if scrutinizing the home her little sister had been in.

“Well, she’ll need time to pack her things,” Leia mentioned.

Paige sighed heavily, as if Leia was nothing more than a nuisance. “Fine,” she replied and made her way to the couch and sat down.

Han cleared his throat. “We didn’t know when to expect you,” he said as he sat on the other sofa with Leia. “We figured Maz would let us know when you’d be coming to get her.”

“I got into town late last night,” she replied. “I haven’t had a chance yet to talk to the agency or your representative yet. I just want my sister back.”

Leia nodded. “Of course. We understand. We would have had her pack her things already if we’d known you were coming today.”

Paige looked at her pointedly. “Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Armitage and Ben made their way down the stairs quickly. Armitage stopped. He didn’t want to tell her. He watched for a moment and smiled. Rose was sitting at the table playing Uno with Rey and Chewbacca. She laughed as she slapped down a card. “Skip!” she shouted.

“Grubyy!” he shouted. This made Rose and Rey laugh even harder. They loved it when he spouted off in his mother tongue.

Armitage cleared his throat to get their attention. They looked over at him, still smiling and giggling. “Your sister is here,” he quickly said. No need to beat around the bush about it, better to just rip the bandage right off.

Rose’s expression changed instantly. “Paige?” She quickly stood and ran up the stairs.

Rey looked like she was about to cry. “She’s really here?” she asked. Armitage nodded.

“Well, why don’t we go upstairs and meet her?” Chewbacca suggested.

Rose ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She stopped at the top when she saw her sister in the living room. Tears filled her eyes. “Paige?!”

Paige looked over at her and stood up. Rose ran to her and let herself be pulled into her arms as she began to sob. “I’m here sis. I’m really here.”

“I didn’t think they were ever going to find you!”

Paige smiled, tears in her eyes as well. “I know, but I’m here now.” She pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “You need to go pack and then we can go.”

Rose sniffled. “But I need to say goodbye. And school is almost over. And I need to say goodbye to my friends at school. And there’s this boy and he finally asked me to go out with him! I-”

Paige cut her off. “I’m sorry, but we have to go.”

Rose pulled away. “I’m not ready,” she argued.

“I know. So, go pack and-”

“It’s more than just needing to pack!” Rose nearly yelled. She looked at her sister, pleading in her eyes. “Can’t we wait? Just until the end of school at least?”

Paige sighed heavily and shook her head. “I have to get back to work. What I do is very important.”

“I’m not ready to go!” she whined in vain.

“I’m sorry,” Paige replied, “but we need to go.”

Rose pulled away. “No! I don’t want to!”

“It really doesn’t matter what you want.” Paige replied sternly. “I’m your legal guardian with Mom and Dad gone. Now, go pack your things and then we can leave.”

“No! I don’t want to! And you can’t make me!”

“Rose, please.”

“No!” she turned and ran up the stairs. She went to her room and slammed the door behind her.

“Rose!” Paige turned to Han and Leia. “What have you done to my sister?”

“All we’ve done is give her a home while they tried to find you,” Han answered.

Paige seemed to be holding back tears. “I wish I’d been here when it happened. I came back as soon as I could. You have to convince her to come home with me.”

Leia nodded. “We love Rose. We want what’s best for her. She’s just upset; this is all happening so fast.”

“Perhaps we can come to an understanding,” Chewbacca said as he stepped forward. “The school year is close to the end. Perhaps you would allow her to stay here until school has finished? There’s only a month or two more, it wouldn’t make much sense to pull her away from her studies now, don’t you think? That also gives her time to say goodbye to her school friends as well.”

Paige looked at him in interest. “Who are you?”

“Close family friend,” he answered with a smile.

Paige continued to study him, then she gave him a smile. “I like you. Okay, we have a deal. If someone can manage to get her to come out of her room so we can talk about it, that would be appreciated.”

“I’ll go get her,” Rey quickly volunteered and then dashed upstairs. She took a deep breath before knocking on the door. “Hey, Rose! It’s me.”

“I’m not going!”

“It’s okay, sis, you don’t have to,” Rey assured her. “Please just open up so we can talk.”

Rose unlocked the door and opened it slightly. “Really?”

Rey nodded. “Let me in?”

Rose opened the door and let her come inside. “So, I get to stay?”

Rey stepped inside. “Chewie convinced Paige to let you stay, at least until the end of the school year.”

Rose sighed and sat on her bed. “I want to go with her. She’s my SISTER.” She looked up at Rey, with tears in her eyes. “But YOU are too.”

Rey’s eyes filled with tears now too. “I know.” She went and sat next to her, pulling her into her arms. “And you’ll ALWAYS be my sister. No matter what.”

“Where does she want to live?” Rose asked rhetorically. “I mean, if it’s here in town, we can still see each other, but if she wants to live somewhere else…” She trailed off.

“Well, we can go downstairs and talk about it,” Rey suggested.

Rose sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “Okay.”

The two girls took each other’s hands and went back to the living room to talk about it. When they settled in, Paige spoke. “We talked it over,” she began, “and first of all, you can stay here with the Solos until the end of the school year. There were concerns brought up about you wanting to stay close by. I’ll be honest, I was planning on moving us to the east coast. It’s closer to where I work, but I understand not wanting to be taken away from everything here that you know and love, so I’m going to get in touch with my boss and see if we can’t arrange something. I’m hoping that he’ll let me stay over here except for when I need to go out into the field. If that’s the case, then when I AM gone, you can stay with the Solos.”

Rose nodded, taking it all in. “What if your boss WON’T let you work from here?”

Paige took a deep breath. “That’s not something for you to worry about, sweetie. We’ll figure it out.” She reached over and grabbed her sister’s hand. “I’m sorry I came across the way I did. I just wanted you back so badly. But I’m grateful to Han and Leia for taking care of you. We’ll work this out, I promise.”

***

“What do you think Rose’s sister does?” Ben asked Armitage as they got dressed for bed.

“What do you mean?”

“Like for work?”

Armitage shrugged. “Something tells me it’s not CIA or anything like that. Rose had mentioned once that her sister was some kind of scientist. She probably works for the government and can’t talk about it. Rose doesn’t even entirely know what she does for a living.”

Ben changed the subject by pulling Armitage to him and kissing him. Armitage sighed into the kiss as he closed his eyes and wove his fingers into Ben’s hair. Ben pulled away and said in a husky whisper, “I was thinking, since this was our last night in the same room together, we should make it special.”

Armitage grinned at him. “Exactly what did you have in mind?”

Ben pressed him to the wall and began kissing him again, his hands moving all over his body. He grabbed at his groin and started massaging it. Armitage moaned into the kiss he was in the middle of and started gently thrusting into Ben’s hand, trying to get more friction. He was half hard already and quickly on his way to being fully erect.

Armitage pulled away from their kiss. “So, what do you want to do?” he asked. Ben grinned and dropped to his knees. “You don’t have to,” he assured him.

*Ben looked up at him. His big browns eyes cast upward like that made him look like a sweet little puppy. Armitage thought he might come just from seeing that expression. “But I WANT to,” Ben replied. He then pulled Armitage’s lounge pants down, just far enough to expose him cock. He gave the tip a gently lick. Armitage quivered. Ben chuckled. “You see, you think of this position as being submissive.” He put his hand around his penis and started slowly stroking up and down. “When in reality, I’m the one with all the power.”

Armitage couldn’t speak, he was overcome with pleasure. He just closed his eyes and nodded.

“You see, right now, you’d agree to anything I asked for, wouldn’t you?” With the last words, he reached up with his other hand and tightly gripped his balls. Armitage took in a quick breath and nodded. “Vocal answers, please.”

“Yes! Yes, I would. Anything!”

Ben continued to squeeze his balls and started stroking him again. He put his mouth on the very tip and started to suck. Armitage was shaking in ecstasy. “Please, please tell me what you want of me?” he begged. “Anything you want!”

Ben pulled away and leaned back on his feet. “I want you to touch yourself,” he instructed. Without hesitation, Armitage reached down and grabbed his cock, stroking it. Ben pulled himself out and started doing the same. “Look at me,” he instructed. Armitage opened his eyes and looked down at him, licking his lips in the process. “Fuck! Do you realize how hot that is when you do that?!”

Armitage grinned. “Noted.” He started stroking himself a little faster.

“Slow down,” Ben commanded. “Keep in time with me.”

Armitage slowed his hand down. “Oh, Ben! Fuck! Please, please put your mouth back on me!” he begged.

Ben chuckled. “Well, you did say please so nicely.” He leaned forward and looked up at him. “One condition, you just stand still. I’M the one in control of how far and fast.”

Armitage nodded in agreement. He didn’t trust his voice not to break. Ben put his dick in his mouth again, this time he slid down the shaft slowly. Armitage threw his head back and sighed. Ben pulled away. “I want you to keep your eyes on me.”

*Armitage licked his lips and looked down. He threaded his fingers into his hair and whispered, “I love you, Ben.”

***

Ben thought about what Armitage had said earlier. ‘I love you.’ The words were still so foreign to him. They’d both exchanged them, but Ben wondered how honest he was when he said it himself. He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, but he was too restless. He slipped out from under Armitage’s arms and stepped out the bedroom door, heading downstairs. He was surprised when he saw the kitchen light on. He was curious, so he went inside.

“You’re up late, or early,” Han said to him as he walked in.

Ben crossed his arms and shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. What are YOU doing up?”

Han shook his head. “Couldn’t sleep either. So, figured I’d come in here and get myself some milk and cookies. You want some?”

“Sure.”

Han poured two glasses and grabbed a Tupperware container from the pantry. “Leia likes to try and hide them from me,” he said as he made his way to the dining room. “She’s ridiculously concerned about my health.”

“I think it’s really sweet,” Ben commented as he sat across from Han and accepted the glass of milk.

“Sure,” Han agreed. “But I’d still like to enjoy a cookie from time to time. My blood sugar isn’t THAT bad.” He paused. “So, what’s on your mind, kid?”

Ben shrugged as he took a cookie Han handed to him. “I don’t know. Just… A lot of things.”

“Well, I’m here to listen if you need me to,” Han offered.

Ben sighed. “I just… I’ve never been with anyone before. I mean, like a boyfriend and I don’t want to mess things up with Armitage. And I’m scared I’m just too broken.”

“We’re ALL a little broken, kid,” Han replied. “You know, Armie isn’t as whole as he likes to make himself seem.”

Ben shrugged as he mindlessly dipped his cookie into his glass of milk. “I know about his OCD. It’s not a big deal. It drives me a little crazy from time to time, but it doesn’t bother me.”

Han shook his head. “Not just his OCD.” He paused. “He’s been through some tough shit.”

Ben sat forward. “Like what?”

“That’s not for me to tell,” Han answered. He met Ben’s eyes and continued, “He’s not like kids your age. He’s a bit of an old soul. I don’t know if that’s just how he’s always been or if it stems from what he’s had to deal with. Even still, he wears his heart on his sleeve. It’s obvious that he cares about you.”

Ben looked down at the table. “What can you tell me about Wexley?”

Han sighed heavily. “I never liked the kid. I always felt like he was toying with Armie. I was pissed when he told me that they’d broken up because he wouldn’t come out. I never felt like it was, he wanted to keep his homosexuality a secret so much as it was he didn’t want to be open about dating Armie.” He paused. “I love that kid. I love ALL of my kids, but Armitage… There’s just something about him. He’s so gentle, not innocent, but real, I guess. I just want to protect him.”

Ben nodded. “I get that. I think he’s still hung up on Wexley though.”

Han scoffed. “He deserves better. YOU’RE better. In every way. I don’t think he’s hung up on him, he just hasn’t let go.”

Ben grinned. “Isn’t that the definition of being ‘hung up’ on someone?”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” he agreed, “but I guess, what I mean is… Armie knew it was over before it even started. He was just fooling himself into thinking it would ever be what he wanted it to be. He seems happy with you though. Happiest I’ve seen him in a long time, truth be told.”

It felt good to hear that. To know that Armitage was in a better state of mind just because Ben was in his life. But there was still more weighing on his mind. “What’s being in love like?”

Han chuckled, setting down his glass before he had a chance to press it to his lips. “Oh, you think you’re in love?”

“No,” Ben answered with the shake of his head. “I mean, I just… I don’t know.” He looked up and met Han’s gaze. “I care about him, SO much. He really means the world to me, ya know, but I don’t know anything ABOUT love.”

“You know, man has been trying to figure out the proper formulas to love for centuries. I don’t think anyone has gotten close. A few poets and philosophers may have had an inkling more than others, but I don’t think anyone has ever been able to truly understand love. All I know is, when I think about Leia, I can’t imagine NOT having her in my life. The idea of losing her for any reason just tears me up inside. Granted, she and I have been together for over twenty years, but even still, when I look at her, she’s all that matters. Not work, the weather, my aching bones, nothing. All that matters to me is her and her happiness.”

“That’s what I want for Armitage, for him to be happy,” Ben replied.

Han leaned forward. “Even if his happiness meant you were out of the picture?”

Ben was caught off guard. He hadn’t expected that response. A ‘if you want them to be happy, then you love them’ or something like that, but not this. Ben really thought on it. Would he be willing to give up Armitage? If Wexley finally came out and that was all he needed to be with him, would Ben let Armitage go and be happy with him? The thought killed him! He felt tears in his eyes. “I would hate it. Every MINUTE of it, but if letting him go made him happiest, I’d do it in a heart-beat.”

Armitage stepped away from the doorway. He’d felt cold and wondered where Ben had gone off to. He didn’t want to disturb him and Han when he found them in the kitchen, but he couldn’t help eaves dropping when he’d overheard his name come up. He knew exactly what he needed to do. He went back upstairs to his room and texted Wexley.

Armitage: Don’t ever contact me again. Do you understand? I’m with Ben and I won’t do anything that may jeopardize my relationship with him. Lose my number. Don’t ever speak to me again.

It was 2:30 in the morning, but seeing as Snaps had been texting him all weekend to try and apologize, he knew he was still up. As soon as it said that he’d seen it, the conversation bubbles popped up; he was obviously typing a reply. He didn’t care what he had to say. He turned his phone off before he had a chance to send it. He climbed back into Ben’s bed and fell back to sleep.

***

Monday morning, everyone was in a sour mood. Even Rey was disagreeable. It was a stark contrast from her usual chipper self that everyone avoided her at all costs. She went through the school day more glum than she’d ever thought possible. Even at lunch, she was still down. She picked at her food and didn’t say much of anything.

She looked over at Poe, who had also been uncharacteristically quiet. “Hey,” she said to him, to catch his attention. He looked up at her, surprised out of his stupor. “You okay?”

Poe nodded. “Yeah, I, huh, yeah.” He went back to eating his lunch as if nothing had happened.

Now Poe’s odd behavior had been brought to Armitage’s attention. He decided to text him from under the table.

Tage: What’s going on?

Poe: Nothing

Tage: Bull

Poe: It’s my cousin.

Tage: What about him?

Poe: He’s asked me to come see him.

Tage: OH!

Poe: Yeah, I know. I don’t know though. I mean, he’s in jail because of me. I ratted him out along with everyone else.

Poe: When he first went to jail, he wrote me and swore he didn’t hold it against me

Poe recalled the night it all happened. Gabe had pulled him down to the basement. “They’re coming for us, little cuz! I don’t think we can get out of this one.”

“What do we do?” Poe asked, scared.

Gabe looked him in the eyes. “YOU do nothing.” He grabbed the gun Poe had stuck behind his belt. He’d given it to him himself for protection. He pulled a bandanna from his pocket and wiped at the handle, trying to wipe away any finger prints left by Poe.

“What are you doing?”

“Saving your ass.” He tucked the gun away in his own belt now. “Look, Aunt Shara and Uncle Kes never wanted this life for you. Your parents were never affiliated for a reason. I brought you into this after they died and I never should have. You’re gonna climb out that window and let the cops catch you.”

Poe began to protest. “But-”

“Look, there ain’t no way of saving the rest of us. You gotta let yourself get caught and then give us up. Tell them EVERYTHING so they’ll let you off. This is the only way I can make it up to your mom and dad. Understand?”

Poe didn’t want to give Gabe and the rest of Kanjiklub up. It wasn’t right! But he’d do as Gabe told him. He always did. He was their leader. He nodded. “Okay.”

After Gabe and the others were caught and taken to prison, Poe was put into foster care and later taken in by the Solos. Gabe had written to him a few times and in each letter, he told Poe he’d done right by him. Poe never wrote back though. Even though Gabe had TOLD him to turn him and the others in, he always felt guilty for it. Now, he was asking Poe to come and see him. He said it was important.

Poe: I haven’t seen him since he went to jail.

Tage: So, are you going to go see him?

Poe: IDK I mean, I know Mom or Dad would take me. I really don’t think they’d feel safe letting me go alone, but I just don’t know! What do you think I should do?

Tage: You’ve got me. I haven’t the foggiest idea what you should do. Go with your gut.

Poe put his phone away as the bell rang, letting the students know that the lunch period was over. He knew Armitage was right. He should follow his gut. But his gut was telling him to go and see him and he was scared of what he’d learn when he did.

***

Poe talked it over with Han and Leia and they agreed to let him go, but he couldn’t go alone. After talking it over with Armitage some more, Poe decided they could make a day trip out of it; just him and the guys. Ben still seemed a little uncomfortable with family excursions, but was trying his best to be a part of the group. It helped that he had Armitage. Though it was obvious Finn was a little frustrated with it; they were a couple and yet they were on a bros trip, it wasn’t fair! Ben wondered if part of it was just jealousy. Ben and Armitage had each other and Poe had Phasma. Finn didn’t have a special someone.

Poe was getting my anxious with every mile they drove. He hadn’t seen Gabe in so long. He never wrote to him when Gabe sent a letter. He tried to call a few times after he was placed with the Solos, but he never accepted the call. Seeing Gabe now was going to be more difficult than he’d initially realized.

“You got this,” Finn encouraged as they pulled up to the state penitentiary.

Poe took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Whatever happens,” Armitage added, “we’re here for you.”

Poe nodded again and got out of the car. The three of them agreed to stay outside and wait for him. Poe went inside. He was patted down by a guard and they used a metal detector wand on him before they let him inside. He was led to the visiting area.

Gabe was already sitting in a room waiting for him. He was cuffed to the table. He smiled at Poe as the guard opened the door and let Poe in. “Knock when you’re ready to come out,” he said and then closed the door behind him.

“Hey, little cuz! How was the drive?”

“It was fine,” he answered shyly. “How… How are you?”

“I’ve been better,” he answered. “Been lots worse too. Come on, have a seat, I ain’t gonna bite.” Poe stepped forward and took the chair across from him. “Really didn’t think you’d end up coming.”

“Well, you said it was important,” Poe replied.

Gabe chuckled. “I wondered what your foster dad said to get you to come. I figured you wouldn’t talk to me if I called. I had to try Ham.”

“Han,” Poe corrected.

“Yeah, yeah, Han. He seems like a nice guy. He treat you well?”

“Han and Leia are great. Leia reminds me a lot of mom actually.”

“Well, I hope to be able to meet them one day and tell them thank you for taking care of you. Which brings me to what I wanted to see you about.” He sat forward a little. “Listen, in here, there ain’t much to do. Work out. I do a lot of reading too, believe it or not. Anyway, one guy in here turned me on to religion and I’ve been doing some serious soul searching the last few months. I’m letting God into my life and he’s really changed my heart

“My lawyer been telling me that your foster parents have been trying to adopt you, all legal and shit. I’ve been putting off the paperwork because, to be totally honest, I didn’t want you to belong to nobody else. I’M your family both in water AND blood.” He looked down at his hands. “But the truth is, I know they be good for you. They’re better people and better family for you than I EVER was. I’ve been praying in God told me I need to let them.” He looked up and met Poe’s surprised expression. “Because I love you, Poe, I’m gonna sign over the paperwork today. It shouldn’t be long before your adoption is legal.”

“Really?”

Gabe smiled and nodded. “I should have done it a long time ago. I’m sorry about that. But I’m doing it now. I hope you still see me as your family though.”

Poe had tears in his eyes. “Yes! Of course! Thank you! I’d hug you if I could.”

Gabe extended his hand as far as he could and Poe clasped it in his own like they used to do when he was little. “I love you, Poe. Always have. I hope this proves it.”


	16. End of the Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey continues to deal with her feelings about Rose leaving. School ends and they attend an end of the year party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read somewhere some advice from an author 'if you're stuck and don't know what to write, think to yourself 'What terrible things can I do to my characters?".' So I did. Please don't hate me for it.  
> There is a rape scene that I've marked with * so that you can skip over it if you so choose. Quick description in end notes for those that do.  
> Enjoy another short chapter my friends!

The weeks passed with little change. Rey was still upset about Rose leaving, but there wasn’t anything that could be done to change it, so she was learning to accept it and move on. She spent all of her time with Rose. She tended to anyway, but now she made a real effort to do so. When Rose went on her date with Thannison, Rey sat in her room and did nothing.

Ben knocked on her door. She sat up from where she’d been laying on her bed. “Hey!” she said with a bright smile. “Come on in.” She patted the bed next to her. “Have a seat. What’s up?”

Ben shrugged as he moseyed over to the bed and sat down. “Just wanted to see how you were?”

Rey sighed heavily. “I’m alright. Trying not think about Rose leaving.”

Ben put his hand on her knee. She looked up at him in surprise. He’d gotten much more comfortable with everyone, but he still seemed awkward about physical affection. When her eyes met his, he quickly pulled away. “I’m sorry! Was that not okay?” He stood up. “I’m sorry.”

Rey grinned. “It was just fine. It just surprised me, that’s all.” She patted the bed again. “Sit back down, you goofball.”

Ben sat back down, but put a little more distance between them. “So…” Ben didn’t know what to say.

Rey sighed and leaned into him, resting her head on his arm. “I’m gonna miss her so much.”

“Do you think your mom and dad will take in another foster kid?”

“Who knows? I mean, we’ve had kids in and out of here ever since I was little.”

Ben paused. “Did you ever resent them for it? Mom and Dad, I mean, for taking in other kids.”

Rey shook her head. “No. I think I had an understanding ever since I was little that the kids that came to live with us were in need of a family. And let’s face it my parents are pretty damn awesome.”

Ben chuckled along with her. “Yeah, they are.”

“Do you ever miss your parents?” Rey asked him.

Ben was silent for a moment. Rey worried that she had said something that upset him, but he eventually answered. “I think I miss who they SHOULD have been. My dad was a pastor and he didn’t care about anything more than his service to the church. And my mom,” he scoffed. “My mom was always ‘holier than thou’ and telling other people how they were sinners, completely ignoring what she was doing wrong.”

Rey looked up at him. “I’m sorry. Parents are supposed to love you. I don’t understand how a person can bring a child into the world and not love them.”

Ben stared off into the distance. “Sometimes I worry about what kind of dad I’ll make. I mean, with everything I’ve gone through, I just… I don’t know if I’d be any good at it.”

Rey pulled away and looked at him with a smile. “You want to be a dad?”

Ben shrugged. “Someday, I guess. I mean, doesn’t everyone?”

Rey shook her head. “I don’t know if I EVER want kids.”

Ben looked at her in surprise. “Really?! But you would make an AMAZING mom!”

“Maybe,” she replied with a shrug. “I don’t even know if I ever want to get married even.”

Ben’s face was covered in absolute shock. “Really? Why not? I mean, even I want to one day get married. And look at the shit I’ve gone through.”

“I don’t know your whole story,” Rey replied with a grin.

Ben’s face fell as he looked at the ground. “You don’t want to either.”

She rested a hand on his knee. “If you ever want to tell me about it, I’m all ears. Really, I’m here for you, Ben.”

Ben smiled and looked over at her. He really liked Rey. She was such a sweet soul. He was glad he could call her his little sister.

***

The last day of school was always more of a formality than it was an actual school day. It was a day to say goodbye to friends you would be seeing the very next year, some you would even be hanging out with in a few weeks for some. The seniors were all gone already and the juniors were quick to stake their new claim as the ruling power of the school.

There was an alcove on the second floor that was informally called ‘the senior corner’. There were a few couches set up there and seniors would just hang out. Between classes or during lunch, but it was THEIR place. Poe sat there now, with Ben and Armitage and a few others of their class that they knew. Thannison had now become a part of their group in a small way. Ben didn’t much care, he didn’t really feel like he had much of a say since he was still new to their group. Armitage didn’t mind him either. He hadn’t known him well before, but he found he got along with him really well. He was quiet, not just because he was in unfamiliar territory with becoming friends with them, but also because that was just the kind of person he was. Poe, on the other hand, was loud enough to make up for all of them.

“So, you guys going to Jessika’s party tonight?” Poe asked excitedly. “I’m gonna drag Phasma along. She hates it when I do because she’s all like ‘no, I’m not a dumb teenage kid’,” he went into a falsetto as he mimicked her, making everyone laugh.

“She HAS to be dumb if she’s dating YOU,” Armitage jabbed at him. Everyone laughed harder.

“Hey, whatever her reason is, I’ll take it.”

“You gonna go with Rose?” Ben asked Thannison.

“Um, I don’t know if I’m gonna go, parties aren’t really my thing,” he answered.

“Come on!” Poe encouraged. “You should go! It’s our FIRST party as seniors.”

Thannison shrugged. “We’ll see.” No one knew him very well yet, but they still knew that was his way of saying ‘no’ without having to say it specifically.

Rose said goodbye to all of her friends, tears streaming down her face. Rey was with her every step of the way. Rose wasn’t sure if she’d be attending a different school the next year; she and Paige hadn’t talked about it yet. She got numbers and addresses from everyone, just in case she did.

Paige was already at the house waiting when they got home from school that day. Rey could feel herself fill with rage when she saw her. She told herself to calm down, it wasn’t her fault. But she still had an unspeakable hatred for the woman.

Rose didn’t have a lot of stuff, so everyone helped with the few boxes she had packed away. Once everything was in the truck that Paige had rented, everyone stood around as if they didn’t know what to do next. “Go ahead and say goodbye,” Paige encouraged Rose.

Leia gave her a hug first. “We already discussed it with Paige. You guys will be over for dinner every other Sunday.” She pulled away and held Rose’s face in her hands. “Okay?” she asked with tears in her eyes.

Rose smiled and nodded. “Okay.” Han was the next to give her a hug. It was kind of amusing to see her tiny frame in his arms.

“If you need anything, you know how to reach us. We love you.”

“Love you too.” They separated and Phasma swooped in next. Her face was covered in tears.

“I’m going to miss you so much!” She pulled away and sniffled, wiping at her eyes. “I didn’t expect to get this emotional,” she joked. She pulled her close once again. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Poe hugged her and said his goodbyes and then Ben and Armitage. Armitage held her tightly. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too, Tage,” she whispered back.

“We’ll always be here for you,” he promised. “No matter what, you’re still our sister.”

She smiled. “I know.”

Finn was the next one to hug her. “We’re gonna miss you,” he said as he embraced her. “But we’ll see each other again.”

She nodded. “I know. I love you, bro.”

“Love you too.”

Rey was the last for her to hug. They held each other tightly and sobbed. Rey had so many things she wanted to say to her, but the words just wouldn’t come out. Rose finally broke the silence. “I love you, sis!”

Rey nodded. “I know. I love you to,” she managed to mumble out. She finally pulled away and wiped the tears from Rose’s cheeks. “I’ll see you soon. It’s not forever.” She smiled. “And now I get to have my own room again,” she teased.

Rose laughed. She looked Rey in the eyes and hugged her one more time. She climbed into the truck with Paige and they drove away. No one said anything for a bit, no one knew WHAT to say. Han wrapped his arm around Rey’s shoulder and pulled her close to his side. Everyone walked back inside.

Rey excused herself and went to her room. She sat on her bed and the emotions overcame her. She laid down, burying her face in her pillow and wept.

Not long after, there was a knock on her door. She wiped her eyes and sat up. “Come in.”

Armitage opened the door. “Hey, wanted to check in on you.”

She smiled. “I’m good. Thanks.”

“We were all going to Jessika’s party tonight,” he said as he stepped inside and leaned against the doorframe. “Why don’t you come with us? Help you get your mind off of things.”

“I don’t know, Tage.”

“Well, we’re leaving in a couple hours. Just let us know by then.” He paused. “Phasma is even going.”

Rey laughed. “Really? I’ve got to see that. I’m in!”

***

The party wasn’t as bad as Rey thought it would be. There were a few other sophomores there that she knew. A lot of the other thespians were there too, so she had a lot of different people to hang out with through the whole night. She hung out with the boys in the game room downstairs at first. Poe and Ben battled it out in a game of ping pong. Rey laughed as she watched them; they got intense. Poe finally won after about a twenty-minute game. She hadn’t realized a ping pong game could last so long. She meandered through the house, chatting with people here and there as the night drew on. Once it was dark enough outside, someone started a fire in the firepit in the backyard. She found her way outside and sat with some friends for a while.

“Hey,” a tall, dark haired boy said as he sat next to her. “You’re Rey, right?”

She nodded. “And who might YOU be?”

He offered his hand. “Erik. Erik Pava. Jessika’s older brother.”

Rey smiled at him. “Ah, yes, the allusive older brother. I’ve heard about you, but I thought maybe you were a myth.”

“Well,” he said as he leaned in and nudged her with his shoulder playfully, “you were myth-taken.”

Rey couldn’t help it, she laughed. “That was terrible!” she laughed some more. She took a sip from her cup but realized it was empty.

“Want me to grab you a refill?” he offered.

He was older than her. Jessika was seventeen, so Erik had to be at LEAST eighteen. He wasn’t a student at the high school, so he could have been older even. Rey didn’t mind. Flirting with him would take her mind off of everything else going on. “Sure,” she said as she offered her empty cup to him.

He accepted it and stood up. “Be right back.”

Rey stared at the fire and sat there pondering as she waited for him to return. He came back and handed her drink to her as he sat down. “So, you go to school with Jess?” he asked.

“Yeah, she’s a senior, same as my brothers.”

“Oh, what grade are YOU in?”

“I’m a sophomore,” she answered.

“No WAY! You seem so much older! Especially when you’re on stage. I went with Jess to see the Midsummer Dream thing.”

Rey giggled. “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” she corrected. “Not much of a Shakespearian, are you?” she teased as she sipped her drink.

Erik chuckled. “Truthfully, no. But I thought you were amazing.”

Rey smiled. “Thank you. So, how much older are you than Jessika?”

He ran his hand nervously through his hair. “How old do you THINK I am?”

Rey looked at him. Studied him for a moment. “Nineteen,” she finally answered and then took another drink.

“Close, but no cigar. Just turned twenty-one last month.” He leaned in and whispered, “I’m actually the one who purchased all the alcohol for Jess. Don’t tell anyone.”

Rey giggled again. She felt silly doing that, but he just seemed so funny. “So, your parents aren’t in town?”

Erik shook his head. “No, since my senior year they’ve always taken a week long trip at the end of the school year, kind of as a way to let us be on our own for the beginning of summer. That’s how we ended up having an end of the year party every year.”

“Your parents seem pretty chill. Do they know you’re supplying alcohol to minors?” she joked.

He laughed. His laugh was intoxicating; beautiful really. “I’m sure they’ve figured it out, but they’d just rather not know. The less they know the better, is their philosophy.”

Rey giggled again. “That’s such a funny word. Phil-loss… Who IS Phil and what did he lose?”

Erik chuckled. “You alright there?”

She nodded and then stopped. “Whoa, I’m feeling a little light-headed.” She set her cup down on the ground.

“Maybe you should go lie down for a minute,” he offered. He set his cup down next to hers and stood up, pulling her to her feet. She giggled some more.

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Come on, I got you.” He pulled her inside.

***

Ben watched his boyfriend as he drank. He seemed to loosen up a lot when he was intoxicated. He wasn’t drunk just yet, but it was obvious he was well on his way. He was tipsy enough, that he dragged Ben to a quiet hallway to make-out. Ben didn’t mind. He enjoyed kissing and Armitage was good at it. Armitage had pressed him against a wall and was kissing and nibbling on his neck.

“I want to fuck you, so badly,” he managed to say through his passionate kisses. Ben didn’t say anything in return, so Armitage went on. “I love you, Ben.” He bit down gently on his collar bone, making Ben moan in pleasure.

“We could… Could find a room,” Ben suggested.

Armitage pulled away and his eyes lit up. “Yes! Let’s!” He grabbed Ben’s hand and started pulling him down the hallway. He checked a few doors before he opened one up to an empty room. He pulled Ben in with him and dragged him to the bed. Armitage jumped onto the bed and laid down. He looked at Ben attempting a seductive expression. Ben laughed and yet it worked. He crawled over to him and started kissing him again.

“Ben?” Armitage managed to say. Ben was kissing his neck now. “Do you love me?”

Ben stopped and pulled away. “What?”

Armitage looked up at him, sadness written on his face. “Do you LOVE me?”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, of course I do.”

Tears formed in Armitage’s eyes. “Why don’t you say it anymore?” he asked, his voice breaking. “I love you! So much! I’ve never loved anyone like this before. I… I want to give you EVERYTHING. Be with me forever?”

Ben sat back. “You’re drunk.”

Armitage sat up. “No! I’m not! Ben,” he whispered tenderly. He grabbed his face in his hands, turning it toward him. “You don’t have to love me like I love you. It’s alright! I promise. I just…” He looked down. “I want you to know that I want you more than anything in the world. I don’t have much to offer and I know I can be difficult, but I know that I love you.” He looked up once again, tears pouring down his cheeks. “It doesn’t matter what we do, if we never have sex or whatever, I just want you to be with me and I want to be with you. Always!”

Ben felt tears in his eyes. How did he come to find this in his life? He didn’t deserve Armitage. He was too good. Ben was broken and had nothing to offer him. “I want to be with you too.” He leaned forward and kissed him gently, simply pressing his lips to his. He started to open his mouth to deepen the kiss when they heard someone scream from the room next door.

“What the hell!?” Armitage said, sobering up quickly. “I think that was Rey!”

***

Erik pulled Rey along behind him. She started stumbling and wasn’t able to hold herself up any more, so he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his room. He laid her down on his bed. “How you feeling?”

“Tired,” she answered. “Where are we?”

*Erik smiled wickedly. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you,” he whispered. He leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back. He chuckled to himself. This was going to be much easier than he thought. He reached down the front of her pants and into her panties.

“What are you doing?” she asked as she pulled away from his lips.

“Just relax, sweetheart. It’ll all be over soon. And I promise, you’ll enjoy it.” He kissed her again and went back to touching her. She laid there without pushing him away and without encouraging him either, then he slipped a finger inside of her.

“Stop,” she said with little to no conviction.

“You want this, baby,” he whispered. “The way you were throwing yourself at me at the firepit. You want me to fuck you, don’t you?”

She shook her head slowly. “No.”

“Yes, you do.” He pressed a second finger insider and started thrusting them in and out. “It’s okay, just say it. Say yes.”

“Yes,” she replied, not knowing what she was saying yes to.

“Good. See, baby, I’ll make you feel good.”

He started to undo her pants and slid them down her legs. “Please,” she begged.

“Since you asked so nicely, sweetheart,” he replied malevolently. He slid her panties down to her knees.

“Why? Just, stop.”

“No, you said you wanted this,” he replied. “It’ll all be over soon. I promise. I’ll be real quick.” He opened the front of his jeans and pulled himself out. He stroked himself a few times. “You ready for this, baby? It’s pretty big. I know you’re gonna like it.”

Rey didn’t say anything, she just laid there. He let go of himself and slipped inside of her. Rey threw her head back and screamed.

“No! Stop! Please!”

“I’ll be quick,” he said as he started thrusting into her.

“NO!”

*He covered her mouth with his hand. “Shut the fuck up, you little whore and take it!”

She tried to pull away from him, but he was so much bigger and stronger. It was like all of her strength had been striped away. The door flung open. Erik was pulled off of her.

“Get the fuck off of her!” she heard a familiar voice yell.

Rey wasn’t sure what was going on around her. The room was dark except for the light that came in through the doorway. She looked up and saw a shock of red hair. “Tage?” she asked.

He pulled her close. “I’ve got you, sis. I’ve got you!” He was pulling her pants up. When had she undressed? Armitage looked away from her. “Ben, that’s enough! We need to get her out of here.”

Rey looked to where Armitage was looking. Ben was standing over a guy, punching him. “I could fucking kill you!” he whispered to the guy as he held him by the collar of his shirt. He dropped him hard to the floor. “Come on.”

Armitage lifted Rey into his arms. Why was she getting déjà vu? Someone else had carried her like this not too long ago, but who? They were moving through a house she didn’t recognize. There were noises and people and she felt so confused. She heard familiar voices, her brothers?

“What the hell happened?” Poe asked in shock.

“We need to go,” Ben answered.

Rey closed her eyes; she was so tired. She clung close to Armitage’s chest and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey is slipped some kind of drug into her drink and the man who did it takes her to a room and forces himself on her.


	17. You're Not Alone, I Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They go to the police. Rey deals with her emotions about the attack. Armitage makes a promise to Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short and a week later than expected, but we've been dealing with some serious trials at home. Still going to try to update weekly, but can't make any promises. Hope this chapter finds all of you well and hope you enjoy it as much as all the others <3

Ben hadn’t ever expected to see Officer Windu again, but there was a part of him that was glad it was him who took care of Rey when they went to the police station. There was a kindness about him that Ben liked. He felt comfortable around him and knew Rey would feel the same.

Now that she was sober from whatever drugs Erik had given her, she was slowly recalling exactly what had happened, but her memory was still spotty at best. “We were sitting at the fire together. I don’t remember much more before Armitage was carrying me away.” Han and Leia sat beside her on either side, while Ben and Armitage stood against the wall.

“Let’s go back then,” Officer Windu suggested. “Do you recall what you were talking about?”

Rey shook her head. “Not really. Casual things. It was mostly small talk really.”

“And you never gave him any indication that you wanted to have sex with him, correct?”

Rey’s eyes filled with tears. “I should have known better. He was a stranger; I shouldn’t have let him get me a refill on my drink.”

“Listen, you are not to blame for what happened,” Windu said sternly as he sat forward. “What HE did was wrong. Maybe you made some lapse in judgement, but you are NOT to blame. Do you understand?” Rey nodded. “Good. Now, I’d like to talk to your brothers in the other room alone, if that’s alright with you Mr. and Mrs. Solo?”

Leia nodded. “Of course.”

Officer Windu exited the room and indicated for Ben and Armitage to follow. They went to a room next door that was set up exactly the same. “Have a seat.” He sat down and the boys sat across from him on the other side of the table. “I’m sorry to see you like this again, Ben.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, me too.”

“You boys did the right thing. You saved her before he could cause her too much harm.”

“We should have gotten there sooner,” Armitage replied, anger in his voice. “We never should have left her alone.”

“What you should or shouldn’t have doesn’t matter. We have to deal with what is.”

“How likely is he going to go to jail?”

“I don’t want to say anything definitive, but I think we have a good chance at this. As long as you boys testify. I’d like to go over exactly what happened.”

Armitage took a deep breath. “We were in the room next door. We were… You know…”

“We were making out,” Ben said for him. Armitage looked at him in surprise. “What? I’m not embarrassed about it. Are you?”

“No, I just didn’t want to broadcast it.”

“Go on,” Windu encouraged. “You were in the other room together and then what happened? What made you leave and go to the room next door?”

“We heard a scream. It sounded like Rey, so we immediately went to investigate,” Armitage answered.

“Then what happened?”

“We opened the door and saw Rey on the bed. A guy was on top of her and she was struggling to get away.”

“Now, I need you to be very specific, did you see them having sex? I need you to be very certain one way or the other.”

Armitage nodded. “He was on top of her. Ben pulled him off of her. I went to her and covered her up. Her pants and underwear had been pulled down. That’s what I know.”

Ben wet his lips. “He had his dick out, if that’s what you mean. I can’t be SURE he had it in her, but he was humping her like he did.”

“And you attacked him when you pulled him away?”

“He was raping my little sister!”

Windu held up his hands defensively. “I’m not saying it was wrong. I just need to get the facts straight, that’s all.”

Ben sat back in his chair. “Yeah, I started punching him.”

“Tell me about the incident at school,” he said changing the subject.

Ben was caught off guard. “What?”

“Look, we need to make sure this case is solid before we take this to court. I don’t want anything to hurt it. Tell me about the assault on Temin Wexley.”

Ben was astonished. How could that affect Rey’s case? “He punched me so I punched him back,” Ben answered. “We both said things to make the other angry. I ended up on top of him and wouldn’t let up because I knew that if I did, he’d get right back up and attack me again. It was self-defense.”

Windu took down some notes. “Okay.” He took a deep breath. “I need you to tell me what happened, after you got her out of the room.”

Ben had followed Armitage out of the room that night. “Go find Poe, Finn, and Phas.” Ben didn’t question it. He left Armitage’s side and went to find the others. “You!” Armitage said to the first person he ran into. “Find Jessika Pava. Tell her I need to see her, NOW!” The guy quickly left to follow his instructions.

“Tage?” Rey asked groggily. She looked up at him with glossed over eyes.

“I’m here, sis,” he answered.

“Where are we?”

“We’re going to go home. You’re safe now.”

She nuzzled her head into his shoulder. “I hurt.”

Armitage felt tears fill his eyes. He never should have left her alone. He should have stayed with her and watched over her, but he hadn’t. All because he wanted to get wasted and fool around with his boyfriend.

Jessika showed up at the same time Ben did with their siblings. “What’s going on?” Jessika asked. “Is Rey okay?”

“Your asshole brother was trying to rape her!” Armitage answered with more venom than he’d thought possible. It wasn’t fair to be angry with her. Jess hadn’t done anything wrong, but he needed somewhere to put his emotions and she was the most logical place. She clapped her hand over her mouth in shock. “You best get everyone out of here and keep him here because we’re calling the police.”

Jessika nodded. “I am SO sorry! I just… Get her out of here. I’ll take care of him and everything else. I am so sorry!” Jessika turned and headed to the living room, presumably to tell everyone that the party was over.

“What happened?!” Poe asked.

“I’ll tell you on the way,” Armitage said as they all headed to the van together. Rey was asleep in his arms now. She was heavier than he’d expected and he’d been carrying her for some time, but he refused to let her go. He held her as they drove away. Ben called the police and Armitage explained to everyone else what had happened.

Windu nodded as Armitage came to the end of his story. “Alright. Let’s go back to your parents.” He stood up and exited the room. Ben and Armitage followed. Windu sat across from Han and Leia once again. “We have the perp in custody now. I think we’ve got everything we need. Forensics will be back in the next 24 to 72 hours. We’ll let you know when we get the results.”

“Thank you,” Leia said as she and Han stood up. Rey did as well, she leaned into her dad as she did.

Ben watched her as they left. She would never be the same again. He understood it too. He was probably the only other person in their home who understood what she’d gone through. His assault had been different, but he still knew what she was feeling.

Over the next few days, Rey was quiet. She was like a shell of the person she had been. She had never felt so alone in her life. One night, she woke up to Ben shaking her awake. “Hey, hey! It’s me, Ben!”

She sat up. “I was having a nightmare,” she said as she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I still don’t remember everything, but I have these dreams. And HE’S there! And I can’t stop him! And people are standing around, laughing and pointing!” She was sobbing now. Ben sat on the bed and pulled her into his arms. She fell apart, burying her face in his chest. “I can’t fucking breathe! His face haunts me every time I close my eyes! I can’t get away from him!”

Ben held her tightly. “I’ve got you. You’re safe here. We’re all here for you.”

“No one understands! I’ve never felt so alone!”

Ben stroked her hair fondly. “You’re not alone, Rey. I’ve been where you are.”

Rey looked up at him. “You have?”

He nodded. “There was a man and he… He made me believe that I owed it to him. He was ‘taking care of me’ so he made me… And he did things… I know it’s different, but I know how it feels to be violated like that.”

Rey rested her head on his chest. “Why would someone do something like this?”

Ben sighed. “Some people are just evil. I don’t think I have a better explanation than that.”

They sat there in silence for a while, until Rey finally asked, “Will you stay with me until I fall asleep again? I don’t want to be alone.” Ben didn’t answer at first. He’d just come downstairs to put away a book he’d been reading when he heard Rey crying in her sleep. Armitage was waiting for him in the living room. They had made plans to have a sunrise hike.

She looked up at him. “Please?” she pleaded softly. His heart broke when she said that word. She needed him! He nodded and laid down beside her. She curled up tightly next to him, resting her head on his broad chest. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“You’re welcome,” Ben replied. “Go back to sleep,” he encouraged as he stroked her hair. With his other hand, he pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Armitage.  
Ben: Rey had a nightmare. She asked me to stay with her until she fell back to sleep.  
Armitage: :( I’m so sorry!  
Ben: Want to cancel? I’m sorry.  
Armitage: No, it’s alright. I’ll wait until you’re done. Take your time.

Ben put his phone back in his pocket and looked down at Rey; she was already snoring. He smiled. She was such a sweet person. He was angry that something this horrible had happened to her. Not that he’d wish it on anyone, but why did it have to be her of all people? He kissed her forehead and slipped out from under her. He pulled her blanket up to her shoulder and quietly slipped out.

Armitage was sitting on the sofa waiting for him. He looked up when he saw Ben coming. “That didn’t take long,” he mused in a whisper.

Ben shrugged. “She’s exhausted. All the stress and trauma.”

Armitage nodded. “I understand.” He stood up and took Ben’s hand in his. “Well, you ready to go?”

Ben grinned. “Absolutely.”

They’d been planning this for after school was out. Armitage didn’t care to go running with them in the morning, but he did enjoy a brisk hike. He had a few places in mind for their sunrise hike and he was excited to take Ben to one of his favorite spots.

Ben wasn’t as agile as Armitage, but his strong physic made it so he was able to keep up with him. When Armitage first asked Han and Leia’s permission to go on this little adventure, he was sure they’d say no.

“Just let us know where you’re gonna go,” Han answered. “It’s not a problem with us.”

“Really?” he was a little surprised. He expected a short lecture on not being alone together or something of the like.

“Well, we know you two don’t get a lot of time alone together,” Leia added. “And we’re glad you asked rather than just going without permission.”

“And you’re okay with it being an early morning hike?”

Leia smiled. “I think it’s romantic.”

Armitage was still astounded that his parents were so okay with his sexuality. Seeing that it was a reason for Brendol to beat him, it was still a little shocking from time to time, but in a refreshing way.

Armitage grabbed Ben’s hand and helped him climb over the large boulder they were facing. This was the place. Armitage’s heart raced with excitement. He helped Ben up and then turned. “Take a look at this,” he offered. The sun was just rising over the mountains, casting a pink and golden hue across the clouds.

Ben stood there in looked in awe. “It’s beautiful!”

Armitage sat down and Ben sat next to him. He drank form his water canteen and offered it to Ben. As Ben drank from it, he rested his head on his shoulder. “What do you want in your future?” he asked quietly.

Ben shrugged a little. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. I mean, when I was with Snoke, I never thought my life would ever be away from him to be honest.” He felt Armitage bristle underneath him. He’d told him all about his time with Snoke and it made him sick to his stomach thinking about the man and what he’d done to Ben. “After I got away and I was told I had HIV… Well, life doesn’t go on for long with someone with that diagnosis.”

Armitage pulled away and looked at him. “Ben, I… I have something for you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple black metal band. “Maybe this is stupid, but I… This is a promise ring. I have one to match.” He pulled another ring from his other pocket and slipped it on middle finger on his right hand. “It’s just my way of saying that I promise to be with you, no matter what.” He finally looked into Ben’s eyes. “I want you to know that I’m in this for the long haul. I know we haven’t been together long, but… YOU are what I want in my future. Always.”

Ben was surprised. He didn’t know what to say. He took the ring and looked at it carefully. He looked up at Armitage again, staring into his green eyes. There was hope and yet, fear. Ben finally smiled. “I love you, Armitage.” He tried to find a dinger the ring would fit, finally settling on his left pointer finger. He lifted his hand and admired it in the sunlight.

Armitage grabbed his hand in his and kissed his knuckles. “I love you too.”


	18. The Past is in the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage looks back at parts of his life. He and Ben get into an argument about intimacy.

Armitage sat straight on the end of his chair. He said nothing, as he’d been instructed and simply listened to the ebb and flow of conversation. His father was having another one of his parties. Armitage never cared for them, but he was expected to be there and be on his best behavior.

“Did you hear about Simon’s kid?” one of the men asked as he took a drink from his brandy.

Brendol shook his head. “Disgusting! A man lying with another man. So filthy.”

Armitage perked up at this. He was only ten, but he already knew where his sexual interests were. He’d been watching the other boys at school during recess since he was in kindergarten. He’d never been interested in kissing a girl or holding hands with one. For a long time, he just thought he’d eventually start wanting those kinds of things, but it never happened. And the longer he waited, the more he realized he DID want those things, but with the BOYS at school rather than the girls.

He could still remember the first experience he had with another boy. He was studying with his best friend, Tritt Opan, after school one day. “You were really great in that game of football today,” Armitage mentioned as they finished up their math homework.

Tritt leaned back in his chair and grinned. “You’re too nice.”

“No, REALLY!” Armitage argued. “You’re so fast and strong. I’m kind of jealous.”

Tritt leaned forward. “You know, you’re pretty great too, Armitage.”

He scoffed and looked down. “Not really.”

Tritt grabbed his hand. He looked up in surprise. “Well, I think you’re pretty great,” he whispered. He leaned forward and closed his eyes. Was this really happening? He leaned forward as well and met his lips with his own. They pressed together gently. Armitage didn’t know what to do next; this was all new to him. He felt Tritt’s tongue lick at his lips and pull away, then Tritt pulled away as well. Armitage’s breath caught as the space between them widened.

“Well, I didn’t expect that,” Armitage replied and then licked at his lips nervously.

“I really dig you, Armitage.” He rubbed at his neck. “I have for a while.” He looked back up and met Armitage’s eyes. “I really liked kissing you,” he whispered shyly.

Armitage gave him a half smile. “Me too.”

Tritt was the one he was with when his father had caught him. He still remembered that day with clarity as well. “Are you sure about this?” Tritt asked as he kissed Armitage with fervor, pulling at his clothes.

Armitage nodded as he kissed him back. “Yeah, my dad shouldn’t be home until late.” They fell onto his bed together, fondling and kissing each other. They’d been fooling around for almost a year. They had exchanged hand jobs, but that was the extent of their experience with each other. Armitage hadn’t ever done anything with any other boy, but he liked having these experiences with Tritt. They would have the whole evening together, so he decided he wanted to do something they’d never done before. He tugged Tritt’s pants off and then knelt down on the floor.

Tritt stopped him. “Hey, are you sure?” he was as inexperienced as Armitage was. Making out and touching one another was one thing, but this was a new level of intimacy.

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure.” He lovingly stroked the inside of his thighs as he continued, “I’ve done a ton of research. Like, legitimate stuff, not just porn,” he joked. “I want to do this. You don’t have to do it for me in return if you’re still not comfortable. No pressure.”

Tritt nodded and then Armitage pulled his briefs off. Tritt was already hard. His was the only dick he’d ever seen in person. He really didn’t believe the size and girth of what they’d seen in pornos. Tritt wasn’t as long as Armitage was, but he was filled out. Armitage licked his lips as he wrapped his hand around his dick. He started to stroke him gently. Tritt dropped his head back and closed his eyes, moaning like he always did when Armitage stroked him like this. He smiled to himself before he leaned forward and licked the tip of his cock. Tritt shuttered; this encouraged Armitage all the more. He brought his hand down to the base and took more of him into his mouth, gently sucking as he did. Tritt let out a deep moan, like Armitage had never heard from him before.

Armitage pulled off and looked up at him with a wicked grin. “If you hate it that much, we can stop,” he teased.

Tritt grabbed his head and shoved him back down. “Fuck you,” he stuttered out. Armitage chuckled as he let himself be brought back down on Tritt’s cock. He really had done research and started to implement what he’d learned. He swirled his tongue around his dick and sucked gently as he pulled off. He took a deep breath before he lowered himself down to the base and tried to breath through his nose. He still coughed and sputtered a few times and had to pull away quickly.

“You okay?” Tritt asked in concern.

Armitage wiped at the tears from his eyes. “Yeah, just need a minute.”

Tritt nodded. “Okay.” He went to work stroking himself as he waited for Armitage to regain his composure. Armitage watched him for a moment. Watching how he handled himself always helped him figure out how best to do it for him. He was always mesmerized by him. He was small, but built, not tall and lanky and awkward like Armitage was.

He finally was ready and pushed his hand away so he could cover his dick with his mouth once again. He started to bob his head up and down quickly, wanting him to come. He opened his own trousers and started stroking himself in time with the movements of his head. Tritt had buried his fingers into his hair and started thrusting in as well. “Armitage! I’m gonna come. I’m so close!”

Armitage sucked harder, letting him know that he wanted him to come in his mouth. He wanted to suck it down; taste it even. He felt him go a little rigid and knew to expect it. It was warm and salty in his mouth. He seemed to spurt forever, but Armitage continued to suck on his dick and swallow the semen down.

“What the Hell is going on here!?”

Armitage pulled away and his eyes grew wide when he saw his father standing in the doorway.

Being sexually intimate was one of the things he missed now that he was with Ben. He understood their need to be careful, but he wanted to share that with Ben. They had figured out ways to do things that wouldn’t put Armitage at risk, but it was still frustrating that he couldn’t just give himself over to Ben wholly on account of his HIV. There was a part of him that didn’t even care if he contracted it too, so long as he could have Ben. They had a horrible argument over it one night.

They were fooling around on Ben’s bed and Armitage knelt down on the floor. Ben stopped him. “We need to grab a condom,” he said.

Armitage rolled his eyes. “I hate the taste of latex,” he argued.

Ben sighed. “I know, but I need to wear one if you’re gonna go down on me.”

“Why?”

Ben looked at him strangely. “You know why. Because I have HIV.”

“So?”

Ben sat up now. “So, I don’t want YOU to get it.”

Armitage shook his head. “I really don’t care anymore. I just want to be with you, completely.” He started to pull at Ben’s boxers, but Ben pushed him away.

“Are you crazy!?”

“Only about you,” he replied with a smile.

“This isn’t funny Tage!” he said as he stood up and pulled his pants back up.

Armitage stood up. “I’m not being funny. I’m serious.”

“You’re being stupid,” Ben argued back. “I don’t want you to get sick.”

“Just because we do it once, doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll contract it.”

Ben pulled on the rest of his clothes. “You do it once and you’re gonna want to do it again. Fuck! Armitage, I don’t want you to get it too.”

Armitage pulled him into his arms. “I don’t care if I do. Ben, I LOVE you! I want to be able to do these kinds of things without being scared of whether or not I’m going to get HIV. Please, Ben. I want you. Wholly.”

Ben pushed him away again. “You think I don’t want that too!? I wish to God I didn’t have it so that we could just be together without worrying about shit like this!” He grabbed Armitage’s shirt from where he’d dropped it on the floor while they were divesting themselves of their clothes. He threw it at him. “You should go. I need to be alone.”

“Ben-” Armitage started.

“I said, get the fuck out!” he said as he pushed him toward the door. “Just, leave me alone right now.”

Armitage huffed and slipped his shirt back on. “Fine. Wallow in your self-pity. Let me know when you’re done!” he slammed the door on his way out. He stormed down the hall and down the stairs. He didn’t know where he was going exactly, but he needed to get away from Ben. How dare he pin this on him!? He wanted to be with Ben. Why couldn’t he see how much that meant he loved him?

He went to the back yard and found his secret stash of cigarettes. He kept them hidden inside one of the hollow yard ornaments Leia had. He sighed when he saw he only had two left. He took one out of the pack and got the lighter too. “You really shouldn’t be smoking, ya know,” he heard Han say from behind him.

He didn’t know what to do. Neither of his parents had ever caught him smoking before. “Um, I’m sorry. I-”

Han chuckled. “It’s not a big deal, kiddo,” he said as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. “Mind if I borrow your lighter?”

Armitage finished lighting his up and handed it to Han. He lit his cigarette and handed the lighter back to him. “Don’t let your mom catch us doing this. She might throw a shit fit.”

“I didn’t realize YOU smoked.”

Han shrugged. “It’s a guilty pleasure. I do it very rarely. Mostly when I’m stressed.” 

Armitage scoffed. “You’re not alone.” He took a drag and blew out a puff of smoke. He knew it was a bad habit, but it was relaxing.

“Want to tell me what’s on your mind?”

He sighed as he sat down in a nearby chair. “It’s just, things with Ben are so complicated.” Han sat in the chair next to him and listened. “You probably don’t want to hear about it, but I want to be… Well, intimate with him.”

“I thought you were.”

Armitage nodded. “We are, I just… I hate that we have to be careful all the fucking time. I just want to have sex with him and not have to worry about it.”

Han nodded. “I can see how that would be frustrating.”

“As if THAT wasn’t enough, there are so many things he’s not comfortable with because of his past. I try to be sensitive to it, but I hate having to check with him all the damn time that everything is okay.” He sighed. “I’m not mad at him for it either, which I’m sure he feels like I am, it’s just frustrating.” He puffed on his cigarette and grew quiet. Han quietly smoked beside him. Armitage finally looked over at him and said, “What, no words of wisdom?”

Han shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you,” he replied. “I can totally understand why it would be frustrating, but I don’t really think there’s an easy answer.”

Armitage looked down at the ground. “The only easy answer I could come up with was to just not worry about it anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Han asked him with a curious expression.

“To just, be together and if I contract it, I do and if I don’t I don’t.”

Han was silent for a moment. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“Of course, I am!” Armitage nearly yelled as he looked back up. Tears filled his eyes. “I love him, Dad. I really do! Why does love have to be so fucking complicated?” he sat back in his chair and took a drag on his cigarette.

“Well, PEOPLE are complicated,” Han answered.

Armitage huffed. “That’s the understatement of the year.”

***

Ben had decided to go for a run to clear his head. It was late enough in the evening that it was cooled down outside, but not so late that the sun had set yet. “You going for a run?” Poe asked him when he saw him in his running outfit.

“Yeah, need to clear my head,” he answered.

“Care for some company?”

Ben wanted to be alone, but he thought it might be nice to talk it all over with Poe “Sure.”

“Great! Let me go change.” Poe dashed off to his room to dress in his work out clothes and then joined Ben for his run. They didn’t talk as they jogged, focusing their breath and energy on their work out. After about an hour, they finally stopped at the park they typically rested at.

“So, how’s it going, rooming with Armitage?” Ben asked out of curiosity. He wasn’t ready to talk about what was on his mind and he knew Poe well enough, that he knew Poe wouldn’t be able to handle the silence. Besides, he really did want to know how he felt about it; Armitage had already to him how it was from his point of view.

“He’s OVERLY considerate,” Armitage complained one night while they laid out in the backyard watching the sky. There wasn’t anything special going on in the heavens, but they wanted some time alone.

Ben laughed. “How can someone be OVERLY considerate?”

“He feels like he has to check in with me on EVERYTHING. ‘Is it okay if I put my backpack here?’ or ‘Do you mind if I leave my shoes over there?’ Ugh! It’s exhausting!”

“He just wants to make sure he doesn’t do anything to make you uncomfortable,” Ben explained.

Armitage sighed. “I know, which is why I can’t be mad at him. He’s TRYING to be a good roommate, but it’s a bit over the top.”

Poe smiled that bright grin he had. “He’s been an AMAZING roommate!” he answered. “I mean, quite frankly, he’s made me a better roommate. I mean, ask Finn, I was always a bit of a lazy slob, but because I’m rooming with Tage, I’m actually trying to make an effort to pick up after myself and whatnot.” He paused. “He really cares about you too, ya know.”

“I know,” he replied absent-mindedly.

Poe chuckled. “I don’t think you do. I mean, I KNOW you KNOW, but you just don’t even know. He talks about you all the time. He’s always making plans to be with you, even if it’s just simple things, like making sure you guys sit next to each other at dinner or something. He thinks you hang the moon or something,” he teased.

Ben looked at him in surprise. He knew Armitage cared about him, but it was strange to hear it from someone else. “Well, he’s pretty great too,” Ben replied. He sighed. “I actually feel bad that we can’t be more physical.”

Poe nodded. “You mean, because of the whole HIV thing?”

Ben nodded. “That and there’s just a lot of things I’m not comfortable with because of, you know, shit from the past. There have been times I’ve just grinned and bared it.” He chuckled. “Seriously TMI, but I don’t like receiving.”

“Understandably,” Poe replied. Ben had been pretty open with everyone about his past with Snoke, so Poe knew why it would make him uncomfortable.

“But I have a couple times because I know he wants to,” Ben added. “It hasn’t been easy, but I love him, so I try to make concessions where I can. And I know he does too. Having to worry about WHAT you can do with someone you love instead of just throwing caution to the wind and being together can get exhausting.”

Poe nodded. “I get it. I mean, Phasma and I have had to be really careful, for different reasons, but I get it. It can be really frustrating.”

Ben nodded. Love shouldn’t be frustrating though. He supposed it wouldn’t be if Snoke hadn’t ruined it for him. It was all his fault! And yet, he couldn’t find it in himself to hate the man. Call it Stockholm syndrome or whatever, but even now, he knew there was a part of him that would always be grateful to him.


	19. Independence Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fourth of July, the Solos have a family day.  
> Gabe has news for Poe.  
> Armitage tells Ben more about his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. Just a heads up, we are getting much closer to the end of this fic. Gonna be sad for the end, not just sad because the end is coming, but also because I have plans to take your feelings on a roller coaster ride. Hope this chapter is another one you all like.

Ben snuggled close to Snoke. It was a cool evening and it was warm next to the old man. “Something on your mind, Kylo?” he asked drowsily.

“No, Master,” he answered. He paused and added, “Actually, I was thinking about the party you said you were going to be going to this weekend.”

“What of it?”

Ben took a deep breath. “I was thinking, maybe I could go with you this time,” he suggested. “I mean, I’ve never gone to any like how the others bring their boys and girls to YOUR parties. Maybe I could go to one?”

“No,” he answered.

Ben felt crestfallen. “I was just thinking-”

“You should NOT think, boy,” Snoke interrupted.

Ben nodded. “Yes, Master. I’m sorry.”

Snoke looked over at him and tenderly stroked his hair. “My dear boy. You know I am only trying to protect you. If anyone outside of us knew what you are and what you do… You would be persecuted beyond belief.”

Ben didn’t want to argue, but what did it matter if it was the same people there as it was when they joined in Snoke’s parties? He just curled in closer to him. “Yes, Master.”

***

July had finally begun. Apparently, Independence Day was a big thing in the Solo home. Ben didn’t really much care for it, he didn’t really care for holidays in general, but it was nice to see how excited the rest of the family was.

“Dad is gonna barbecue and we’re inviting Rose and her sister over,” Rey told him as they sat across from each other in the game room playing scrabble together. “And of course, Chewie is gonna be there and Uncle Luke usually comes too. Oh! And Holdo always comes too.”

“Wait, you mean Mrs. Holdo, the Spanish teacher?”

Rey nodded. “Yeah, she and Mom have been best friends since, like, forever.”

“Isn’t it weird hanging out with the school staff outside of school?”

Rey shrugged. “It’s never bothered me before.”

Ben thought about Mrs. Holdo. He could see her and Leia being friends. They were similar in a lot of ways. Both were very strong women; the kind of woman any girl could look up to. And they were both smart. Mrs. Holdo was kind of different for an adult though. She kept her hair dyed a purple color. She would color it a dark plum and slowly let it fade out to a lavender and eventually start the whole process again. Ben had met her when she was just entering the lavender phase, so he was kind of looking forward to this deep plum he was expecting when he saw her.

The morning of the fourth, Luke came over early to help his sister with whatever she needed done. Ben hadn’t spoken to him beyond the day he registered for school, but the other kids seemed to love him, especially Rey. That evening, while Han was cooking, he was in the backyard playing football with the other kids. The game was between him, Poe, and Rey against Chewie, Finn, and Rose. They tried to get Ben to join in, but he wasn’t interested.

“You’re like, BUILT for this game,” Poe complimented.

“So, whoever’s team I was on would be at an unfair advantage,” he tried to argue logically.

Poe snorted. “And you think they don’t have an advantage with Chewie on their team?”

Chewie laughed, throwing his head back as he did. Sometimes, when he did that, it made Ben think of Santa Claus; like a strange, young, Russian, Santa Claus. “I may be bol’shoy, um, I mean, big, but I don’t really understand the… how would one say it? The silliness of the game.”

Everyone paused and looked at him strangely. “The WHAT?” Finn asked.

“You know, the otherness, or oddness, the things that make it the thing it is. Oh, what is that word!? Um, the nonsense! Yes, I don’t understand the nonsenses of the game.” He smiled, proud of himself that he had found the word he was looking for.

Rey giggled. “The nuances?”

“Yes,” Chewie agreed. “The nonsenses.”

Rey giggled some more. Han looked at her disapprovingly. “Hey, how many languages do YOU speak? It’s not nice to laugh.”

“Sorry,” she replied.

Chewie waved his hand. “No harm no bird.” No one corrected him and told him the phrase was ‘no harm, no foul’. They started their game, forgetting about trying to get Ben to join in. He sat on the patio next to Armitage, with Paige, Rose’s sister.

“So, how long have you guys been with Han and Leia?” she asked, trying to make small talk.

Ben shrugged. “I’ve only been here a couple of months.”

“I’ve been here almost four years now.”

“Wow, four years! Any hope of reunifying with family?” she asked as she took a drink from her beer.

Armitage’s cheeks flushed. He cleared his throat. “No. I’m adopted. I’m legally their son.”

“What about you?”

Ben shook his head. “No, my parents kicked me out when I told them I was gay. They later gave up their parental rights. I’m a ward of the state. I don’t belong to anyone.”

Armitage squeezed his hand. Ben looked over at him. “You belong to me.” Ben smiled over at him. It was nice to have a place that felt like home.

“So, like, none of you are ACTUALLY related?”

Armitage looked back at her as he answered. “Biologically, no. Rey is their only bio kid. The rest of us are all adopted, but that doesn’t make us any less their children.”

Paige shook her head. “Didn’t say it didn’t. Just trying to understand your family. Rose really loves you guys. The more and more we’ve talked about it, the more I’m glad she had you. She really felt like this place was home to her.”

“Where do you call home?” Armitage asked. “It sounded like you’ve been all over.”

Paige smiled. “Yeah, my work takes me a lot of different places. I really enjoyed the east coast. I love big cities. There’s an energy that just envelopes you, ya know. I thought New York was great. It really IS the city that never sleeps. I loved it there.”

“What DO you do for work?” Ben asked. “I’m DYING to know.”

Paige laughed. “I work in a lab, just super boring science stuff.”

“YOU must not find it all that boring,” Armitage pointed out.

She shrugged. “Well, it’s not FUN work, but someone’s got to do it.” She leaned forward and nearly whispered, “So, what can you guys tell me about this Thannison kid?”

Armitage smiled. It was cute to see Paige being a protective big sister. “He’s a pretty good guy,” he answered. “I haven’t known him long, I mean, he wasn’t really a close friend before he and Rose started seeing each other. He’s kind of become one of us since then though. He’s respectful and quiet.” He paused. “They getting serious?”

Paige took a deep breath. “I don’t know. She keeps telling me that they’re still pretty casual, but he comes over all the time and they go out all the time. God, and the way she GUSHES about him, it’s enough to make you puke,” she joked. “He does seem really nice though.” She paused and then said, “So, your uncle, Chewie. Is he like, legit related or is he more of the adopted kind of family?”

“Adopted IS family,” Armitage replied in an irritated tone.

“Sorry,” she quickly said, “I didn’t mean to offend. I meant, is he bio related?”

Armitage shook his head. “No. When you come right down to it, he’s technically our grandfather.”

Paige nearly spit out her drink. “What?!”

“He’s Han’s adoptive dad.”

“No kidding!” She looked over at him and said, “Kind of hot for a grandpa.” Ben and Armitage looked at each other. They were surprised by this. She turned back to them and continued, “I kind of have a thing for older guys. Especially big guys like that.”

“More power to you,” Ben replied.

“He and Holdo have an off and on-again thing going,” Armitage warned. “I think they’re off at the moment though.”

Paige grinned. “Well, I guess I’ll have to make the most of it then,”

Han called everyone over when food was ready. Rey, Rose, and Phasma sat on blanket in the yard like a picnic. Paige eventually joined them. Everyone else sat on the patio on the various bits of furniture.

“So, any big plans for the summer?” Luke asked Holdo.

“End of the month I’m taking a trip to Mexico. Joining my church group to do a missionary retreat. We’re going to build houses for the poor.”

“Sounds like a lovely time,” Chewie commented. “Though, much too hot for me. If it gets to be more than 70 degrees Fahrenheit, I cook like a blini.”

While everyone carried on their conversation, Poe made himself scarce. He was expecting a phone call. He’d been talking with Gabe a lot more now; they had a weekly phone call. The phone rang and Poe answered it quickly. “Hello?”

“You have a call from Gabe Torrez. Would you like to accept?” the receptionist asked like she did every week.

“Yes,” Poe answered.

“Connecting.”

There was a pause and then he heard Gabe’s voice, “Hey, cuz! Happy fourth.”

“Thanks, same to you.”

Gabe chuckled. “So, what your family doing today?”

“Just barbecuing. Playing some football. We’ll watch the city fireworks show later. Not a lot.”

“That sounds dope.” Gabe paused. “Hey, I wanted to say I’m so sorry for your little sister. I mean, I’ve done some shady shit in my past, but I ain’t ever done anything like that.”

“Thanks.”

“How she doin’?”

“She’s doing alright. She apparently still has nightmares from time to time.”

Phasma had told him there were several nights where she woke her from Rey crying or screaming. There was even one night Rey came into her room and woke her.

Phasma looked up. Even in the dark, she could tell it was Rey. “Hey, sis.” She sat up. “What’s up?”

“Can I sleep with you?” she asked, her voice quivering.

“Of course!” Phasma answered. She scooted over and made room for her. Rey crawled in next to her, cuddling into her side. She put her arm around her and stroked her hair. “Bad dreams?” Rey nodded. “Want to tell me about it?” She shook her head in response. “Okay.” She kissed her forehead. “Sleep well. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

“I heard the guy got put away though,” Gabe replied. “That should give her some peace of mind, right?”

Poe scoffed. “Yeah, but from what I understand, he made a plea deal and he’ll be out before the end of the year.”

Gabe tsk-ed. “That DOES suck. Well, I might have some good news then. You see, I may have gone straight, but I still know some guys who owe me some favors and shit, so it might so happen that the guy got what was coming to him.”

Poe didn’t know what to say to that. “You mean, like, they off-ed him?”

“No, no nothing like that.”

“Are you saying you sent guys to rape him?!”

“Slow down, cuz!” he quickly answered. “No. I just know some guys who know some guys and I happen to know he’s been getting his ass kicked since he’s been on the inside. That’s all. Nothing too horrible.”

Poe sighed. “I really wish you wouldn’t have done that.”

“Look, we both know serving time ain’t gonna do shit. I’m one of the lucky few who it’s made a difference for. Most of these guys, they gonna walk outta here and go back to the same kinda life they had before. Ain’t nothin’ gonna change for them.” He grew quiet. “Look, I know I’ve fucked up. My biggest mistake was gettin’ YOU involved in all that. If I can make it up to you by letting a few guys I know kick some stupid ass kid’s ass, I’m gonna do that. Maybe you don’t feel right about it, but I need to take care of my own, ya know? And this little sister of yours, I mean, she’s not MY family, but she’s YOUR family and YOU’RE my family, so I think of her as part of my own now. I can’t do much for nobody from inside here, so what little I can, I’m gonna.”

Poe understood where he was coming from. He didn’t like it, but he’d have to accept it. “Okay.”

***

They all drove into town to watch the fireworks. Ben noticed how Paige kept managing to find herself near Chewie. Standing next to one another, they looked like an odd pair, but he supposed he could see it working out. He held Armitage’s hand while they looked up at the sky as it exploded into an array of light. He looked over at him and smiled. Armitage almost seemed mesmerized by the display, almost with a child-like innocence. There was a part of him that ached when he thought of his childhood. It was taken away from him really; having to endure the abuse his father put him through made him grow up faster than he should have.

Ben caressed the scars on his back as they laid in bed together. He was bold enough to finally ask about them. Armitage grew quiet. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to?” Ben finally said. He didn’t want him to talk about things from his past if he wasn’t ready to do so.

Armitage shook his head. “No, it’s not that, I just… I want to tell you, Ben. I want to tell you, EVERYTHING about me, but like you, my past is filled with strife and telling it sometimes makes me relive it in my own head and those pains come back to him.” He paused. “I was really little. I couldn’t have been more than eight. I was in the kitchen, making dinner. Honestly, I don’t remember what happened exactly. I must have done something my father didn’t like. He ended up tossing a pot of boiling water at me. I remember how bad it hurt. Wearing a shirt was excruciating. Trying to shower was hell. We had a house maid at the time. I remember so little of her. She was beautiful and sweet. She took care of me when Brendol was away. She fixed me up that time. I don’t think she ever knew the things he did until that happened, but she took care of me. Wrapped the burn and put ointment on it. I can still remember the way it smelled. It was like roses.

“Months later, I heard her arguing with him one night after she’d tucked me into bed. I think she said she was going to turn him into the authorities. I don’t know what happened, but I never saw her again. For all I know, he killed her to keep her quiet.” He scoffed. “I wouldn’t put it passed that monster.”

“I’m so sorry,” Ben whispered. “I hate him so much.”

“You and me both.”

It was reasons like this he wanted to take care of Armitage. He didn’t have a childhood like he should have. Not that his own was a basket of roses, but at least his parents didn’t hurt him physically. He knew what they’d done to him was awful as well, but he was concerned with Armitage. He knew he couldn’t change his past and make it better, but he was certain to try his best to make his present happy and his future a good one.


	20. What Does it Take to Make a Family?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am as usual to apologize for the lateness of this post and the shortness of the chapter. Kind of have writer's block at the moment. I know where this is going, but I don't know what should come in between and I don't want it to be just filler. I want to bring you quality content rather than quantity content. So, if it takes a little longer to post, I'm sorry, but I just want to give you all an enjoy read.

Armitage tapped his foot as he sat there. He was in his bi-weekly Exposure and Response Therapy session. When it was summer, his parents were lenient about his regular attendance. Now that it was the end of July, he felt like it was important to go. He took a deep breath and looked around the room. He’d done it before, but felt compelled to do it again as he sat there. He started counting the panels on the ceiling.

“Armitage?” he dropped his head and looked at Miss Zuri, his counselor. She smiled at him. “Come on in.” He smiled back at her, stood up, and followed her into her office. She closed the door behind them. “So, how have you been?”

“Good, good,” he answered as he sat down on the sofa. “How about you?”

“Been pretty good myself.” She sat on the other side of the sofa and got herself comfortable, pulling her feet underneath herself.

Armitage started tapping his foot again. “Good, good.”

Zuri chuckled. “So, your foot tapping doesn’t mean anything?”

He stopped. He shrugged. “I don’t know. Stressed I guess.”

“Why are you stressed?”

He took a deep breath. “I have a boyfriend.”

“Yeah? That’s exciting! Is it that guy you’ve been seeing off and on? Wesley?”

“Wexley,” he corrected. “And, no, he still hasn’t come out. And… I met someone else.”

Zuri smiled. “So, tell me about him,” she said excitedly.

Armitage smiled. “He’s amazing. He makes me happy. We have so much fun together. He’s taller than me,” he said as he sat forward. “Only by, like, two inches, but he lords it over me like…” He chuckled. He looked up at Zuri. “I love him.”

She nodded. “I can tell. He must be a really special guy.”

“I think he is. He’s really understanding of my OCD too. Which has been wonderful. We’re so good together. He gets me. I think it comes from the fact that we both had such fucked up childhoods. Both of as are where we’re at because we have parents who hated us for being gay.”

“Are you unhappy?”

He looked over at her. “What do you mean? Of course, I’m not unhappy.”

“Then why do you keep living in the past? You’re happy NOW, stay here, in the now.” She then stood up. “Now, why don’t we do some ERP?”

***

Han and Leia wouldn’t tell ANYONE what they had planned as they had everyone pile into the van. Chewie was coming along too. He drove behind them with Phasma in his car.

“So, you’re not going to tell us ANYTHING?” Poe asked excitedly. He liked surprises.

Han shook his head as he drove. “Not a thing.”

“Come on, give us a hint,” Finn encouraged.

“We’re going for a drive,” Leia answered non-committally.

“Yeah, that’s lots of helpful information,” Armitage added.

Leia chuckled. “Just enjoy yourselves. We’ll be there soon enough.”

In Chewie’s car, just being him and Phasma, he decided it was okay to tell her what was going on. “We’re celebrating Poe’s adoption,” he told her.

“Why are they keeping it a secret then?” Phasma asked.

“Well, they have a surprise involved,” he answered. “You know, Poe’s cousin, Gabe? Well, Han was able to get one of those con… conja… sex trailers for a big family visit.”

“Really?!” Phasma smiled. “I’ve never met Gabe before, but I know Poe loves him a lot.”

Chewie chuckled. “Are you nervous now?”

“Why would I be nervous?”

“I know about you and Poe,” he answered. “Oh, don’t look so surprised. No, Han and Leia are still very blind to it, but I finally figured it out. So, are you nervous that you’re meeting your boyfriend’s closest family member?”

Phasma took a deep breath. “Maybe. I don’t know. I mean, I know Gabe means a lot to him, so I want him to like me.”

“Oh, my little sparrow, there is nothing for him to not like. You are sweet and beautiful.” He chuckled. “And besides, if you don’t get on, it’s not like you’ll have to see each other ever again.”

They all finally pulled up to the jail and Poe started to wonder about what was really going on. It was obvious they’d come to let him see Gabe, but why were they bringing everyone else along? “This is the surprise?” Finn asked.

“We’re all gonna visit Poe’s cousin today,” Han explained. “As a family.”

Poe wanted to ask why, but he was just excited to see Gabe. They’d been talking every week since he’d come to visit him that one time, but he hadn’t seen him since. So, he was happy to do so. They went inside and checked in. Everyone had to remove everything they had from their pockets. Leia and Phasma had pepper spray on their key chains, so they were confiscated during the duration of their visit. They then were all asked to step forward to be pat down. As per usual, the girls were checked by a female officer and the boys by a male. Ben froze. He didn’t want to be touched by a man, even if it was just a quick pat down to check for weapons or drugs. The   
officer motioned him forward. He didn’t move. He looked at him and motioned him again. “Next,” he called out as though Ben were dumb.

Han cleared his throat. “If it’s alright, could be checked by the other officer?”

The man didn’t look pleased, but he stepped aside and let the female officer pat him down. “You’re all clear, son,” she said after a quick pat. Once everyone was done, they were all shown to a trailer in a courtyard.

“What’s going on?” Poe asked Han.

He smiled. “You’ll see.” They all followed Han inside. As Poe had expected, Gabe was already there. He stood up and went to him, pulling him into his arms. “Hey there, cuz! So good to see you!” He pulled away. “Come on in, everyone, come on!” Everyone got comfortable, arranging themselves around the sparce furniture. Gabe smiled when he saw Phasma. “You must be, Phasma,” he said as he extended his hand to her. “It’s really nice to meet you.”

She smiled as she took his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you too.”

He shook everyone else’s hands, almost as an afterthought, but he was able to place each of them with their names. He was warm and friendly. It was hard to think that he was once a gang boss. The only thing that really gave it away was the mass amount of tattoos he had up and down his arms and on his neck. He finally got comfortable on a couch next to Poe. He looked over at Han. “You care to do the honors?”

Han stood up. “Poe, we decided to come here today as a family, to give you this.” He handed an envelope to him. “It’s official… Son.”

“Are you serious!” He nearly leapt from his seat and pulled Han into a hug. “Thank you! Thank you!”

Han hugged him back. “We love you.”

“Love you too,” Poe answered, tears of happiness pouring from his eyes. He then turned back to Gabe, who stood up, and they embraced as well. “Thank you, so much!”

Gabe had tears in his eyes too. “You deserve a good family, Poe. I’m happy for you.”

Poe went around the room and hugged everyone. As he was doing so, Han went to Gabe and shook his hand and then pulled him into a hug. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” he answered he then pulled away. “Thank you for taking care of him and loving him. He’s a great kid and deserves every happiness.”

Ben watched as Poe hugged everyone. He was happy for him. This family was amazing and he knew he was lucky to be a part of it. He grew excited knowing that his day to legally join it would come soon enough. He knew that nothing else at that moment would bring him more happiness.

***

That night, Ben decided he wanted to talk to Han and Leia about being adopted. He knew that he and Leia had talked about it in passing once, but he wanted a definitive answer. After everyone had gone to bed, he went downstairs to their room. The door was slightly ajar. Peeking inside, they were both sitting in bed, Leia reading while Han brushed her hair. Ben knocked.

They looked over and Han waved him inside. “Hey, kiddo, come on in.” Ben stepped inside uneasily. He knew they had an open-door policy and had seen the other kids come in from time to time to talk to them alone, but it was the first time he’d done it. “What’s on your mind?”

Ben shrugged. “I guess I just wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

Leia smiled and patted the end of the bed. “Come and sit down.” Ben did so, hesitantly. “What is it?” Ben was always so amazed at how caring Leia was. She wasn’t weak by any means; she was actually strong and fierce. Someone you would be a fool to try and mess with. It was in such stark contrast to her gentle demeaner. She was kind and loving.

“After today, I guess, I just wanted to know where I fit in.” He looked up at them. No judgement or confusion on their faces, just longing to care for him. “I mean, if you want me, I want to be adopted,” he said in a whisper. Suddenly, his eyes were filled with tears. He hadn’t expected that, but he wanted this so badly.

Leia’s eyes had become watery too. “Of course, Ben! As soon as you’ve been with us for the six months the state requires, we’ll put in the request.” She reached over and put a hand on his. “We love you, Ben. You’ve been a wonderful addition to our home.”

Ben smiled. He hadn’t expected a different outcome, but it was still nice to hear it out loud. As he laid in bed later that night, he thought on all the things that it meant to be a part of a family. It was a little nerve wracking to say the least, but it was exciting to know that he would finally belong somewhere.

Down the hall, Armitage was just getting ready for bed while Poe was still awake. He was in bed already, but he was talking his ear off. He was still filled with so much excitement about the day. “Phasma said she was so nervous to meet Gabe. She was all like ‘I really wanted him to like me. I know he means so much to you’. But he liked her. I knew he would. I mean, what’s not to like?! She’s super sweet and I mean, absolutely beautiful.”

“Well, I’m glad it’s all official,” Armitage replied as he folded his clothes and put them in the dirty clothes hamper. He sighed. He pulled the clothes out and just dumped them in. He was trying really hard to not be so compulsive about things being neat and tidy. He willed himself to leave the clothes as they were as he climbed into bed.

“So, Ben’s six months is coming up pretty soon, isn’t it?” Poe asked.

“I suppose,” Armitage replied. He was going to admit that he’d been counting down the days for over a month now.

“Aren’t you excited about it?!”

“I am.”

Poe chuckled. “You sure sound it,” he teased as he got up and turned off the light.

“Anything can happen between then and now,” Armitage finally admitted his thoughts. “I mean. Maybe he has other family come into his life and say they’ll take him in. It’s happened before, you know. Or what if he decides this family isn’t what he wants after all. I mean, maybe we get into a fight and then-”

“Dude, you’re spiraling,” Poe interrupted.

Armitage closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m just not going to count on it until it actually happens. I don’t want to get my heart broken.”

“Hey, Tage, he’s not going anywhere,” Poe assured him. “That kid is crazy about you as much as you are about him.”

He sighed. “There will always be a part of me that thinks I’m never going to be enough. I wasn’t enough for my father. I wasn’t enough for Wexley. I just… I’m always scared I’m not enough.”

“Hey,” Poe said as he poked his head up over the side of Armitage’s bed, “Brendol was an evil bastard. Nothing you did was ever going to be enough for him. And as for Snaps,” he scoffed, “that guy needs to pull his head out of his ass before he ANYTHING will be enough for him. You’re a good guy, Tage, don’t let anyone make you think differently.”


	21. Draw Me Like Your French Girls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phasma meets up with Gabe.  
> Armitage helps encourage Ben with his art.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, but I really enjoyed writing it. I hope Gabe is an original character y'all enjoy. We're getting closer and closer to the ending for our boys. Will it be a happy one? ;)

Phasma was nervous as she walked in alone. She’d only met him once; she wasn’t even sure why exactly she was doing this. But Gabe meant so much to Poe, she wanted to get to know him too. She was sitting in the room before they brought him in. She felt a little awkward as an officer brought him in and then cuffed him to the table. Gabe’s gaze was so penetrating, it reminded her so much of Poe. His expression was plain, she couldn’t read him.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” he asked.

She took a deep breath. “I don’t know if Poe told you about me, before we all met.”

Gabe smiled. “Yeah, he told me.” He sat back as much as he could, trying to be casual and comfortable. “He said you were a special little lady.” He laughed. “Though I don’t think little is the word to describe you. How tall are you? Like seven feet?!”

“I’m 6’4” actually,” she answered.

He chuckled some more. “You’re quite the sight next to my little cuz.” His expression grew serious. “So, why are you are?”

Phasma cleared her throat. She was still nervous. “Poe means a lot to me and I know YOU mean a lot to HIM. I thought it was important that you and I get to know each other better.”

Gabe shrugged. “Sure. What do you want to know about me?”

Phasma didn’t have an answer for that. “I don’t know, to be totally honest.”

“Well, let’s see.” He sat forward. “I used to be the leader of a well-known gang, Guavian Death Gang. You’ve probably heard of them. I mean, they ain’t no bloods or crypts or nothing like that, but they’re still pretty known. I did a lot a shady shit back in those days. Killed, sold drugs, you name it, I probably did it. I was a bad, bad man, ya know. And the worst thing is I got my cousin involved when he was this sweet innocent kid, ya know? I convinced him that what he needed was family and that he could find that in the gang.” He paused and got quieter as he continued. “I ruined him. I’ve given my life over God now, but I’ll never be able to forgive myself for what I did to him.” He looked up and met Phasma’s blue eyes. “What else do you want to know about me?” She didn’t reply. She didn’t know what to say. “Oh, I’m sorry darlin’, I guess this is where I should ask you about you. So, tell me about yourself?” He leaned back again.

“Well, um, my past isn’t as colorful as yours. Let’s see, I play soccer and I’m in college.”

“What are ya studying?”

“Oh, um, I’m just getting my basic requirements at the moment. Getting my AA.”

“That’s good! Good for you! I’ve thought about what I’d have done if I’d gone to college.” He shook his head. “I really haven’t figured out what it would have been though. So, you adopted too?”

Phasma nodded. “Yeah. Rey is Han and Leia’s only biological kid.”

“So, tell me about YOUR colorful past. How’d you end up there?”

Phasma cleared her throat. “My parents were drug addicts. They overdosed one day, leaving me an orphan. I didn’t have any other family. My father didn’t was estranged to all of his and my mother was an only child. I was put into foster care and soon came to live with Han and Leia. I’ve been with them since I was about eleven.”

Gabe nodded. “They seem like good people. I’ve chatted with Han a few times. He ever tell you about him coming to see me about signing papers so they could adopt Poe?”

Phasma sat forward in interest. “No.”

Gabe chuckled again. He sat as far forward as he could. “Let me tell you about it.”

Gabe was already sitting at the table when they let Han in to see him. Gabe bit the inside of his cheek. He knew who this was and he wasn’t happy about seeing him. Han sat across from him, but remained silent. Gabe looked at him, analyzing him. Han had arranged this meeting, why wasn’t he saying anything? Gabe assumed it was an intimidation tactic, but he could play at that game too. So, he remained quiet in return. He wasn’t surprised when Han was the one to crack. “You know who I am, right?”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” Gabe answered. “What do you want?”

“I came to ask you about Poe.”

Gabe sat straighter. “What about him?”

“He’s been with us for a while and my wife and I would like to legally adopt him. Seeing as YOU are his legal guardian, we need you to sign over on it.”

Gabe shook his head. “Fuck no.”

Han looked at him in confusion. “And why not?”

“You see, playa,” he said as he sat forward as much as he could, “Poe is MY family. Not YOURS. And if I play my cards right, I be getting out of here soon enough. And when I does, I gonna collect my cousin and we gonna get the hell out of here.”

Han scoffed and gave a sideways smile. “You REALLY think you’re going to get out of here?”

“One way or another, ya.”

Han shook his head. “I’m more than sure that’s not gonna happen.”

“I got connections,” he replied as he sat back in his chair. “There ain’t no prison that can hold me for long.”

Han sighed. “You know that Poe is better off without you, don’t you?”

“He’s my FAMILY!” he replied angrily, sitting forward again, getting as much into Han’s face as he could. “By blood of the covenant AND water of the womb. You think you can give him something more than that? Huh?!”

“We can give him what we’ve already given him. Love, stability, and a home.” Han sighed. “You know, he was a real angry kid when he first came to live with us. Angry at the world and God too. He’s found peace now, though. His mom-”

“Your bitch of a wife ain’t his mom! Shera Bey was his mom!”

Han scowled. “Don’t you EVER talk about my wife like that.”

He chuckled and sat back. “Or what? You think you can hurt me in here? Nah, you can’t touch me. You see, if you do, they ain’t never gonna let you legally take Poe away from me. They might even try to take the rest of your kids away. You see, YOU got so much to lose, I ain’t.”

Han grew silent. He looked him in the eyes and said, “You could lose Poe.”

Gabe let that sink in for a moment. “And YOU’RE trying to take him away from me. That boys all I got.”

Han nodded. “I can tell you love him. Like you said, he’s family, by blood and water. I just can’t figure out how that love doesn’t make you want to give him what’s best for him?”

Gabe scoffed. “And what makes you think YOU’RE what’s best for him?”

“We love him too. We’ve taken care of him. He’s happy. He WANTS to be adopted by us.”

Gabe paused. “He tell you that?”

Han nodded. “He’s been too scared to ask you. He thinks you hate him for what he did.”

“I TOLD him to turn us all in. That way it would give him a chance to get away from it all.”

“So, why won’t you let him? Let him sever his ties to the gang. Let US be his family. He’s happy with us.”

Gabe licked his lips, letting himself process all of Han’s arguments. Maybe he was right. Poe was safe with this family. And if he was really happy there, why would he keep that from him? “I’ll give it some serious thought, okay?”

Han smiled, that crooked smile he had. “That’s all I’m asking.”

“It still took me months before I agreed to it,” Gabe told Phasma.

“What made you finally decide?”

Gabe looked to the side, staring at the wall. “I started going to the library. You know, cons ain’t got much to do but work out and read. My cellmate was a bit of a God-fearing man, so I started to really look at religion. I mean, my ma was a good Christian woman, she and Shera, that’s Poe’s mom, they both were. Even having married my pops, she was still a good person. I mean, don’t get me wrong, we all did some shady shit, but my mamma was always at church, every Sunday. And she prayed all the time. I guess I just lost my way when I let myself get so involved in the gang. So, I started reading the bible again. Almost any Christian work really. I finally found Him again. My heart was finally ready, I guess. So, I gave myself over to God and I prayed. I prayed harder than I think I ever have in my life. And I asked Him if I should sign over the papers. I didn’t want to. Poe was still MINE, ya know. I was selfish and I didn’t want to give him up, not to nobody and for nothing. But God spoke to me. He convinced me that it was what was best for Poe. Maybe even what was best for US. So, I wrote to him. I told him it was important. That I NEEDED to see him.” He chuckled. “And the rest is, as they say, is history.”

Phasma smiled. “That’s really beautiful.”

“So, tell me about how you and Poe got together. How’d he end up with someone as nice and beautiful as you?”

Phasma laughed, her cheeks pinking. “Well, he won me over using lines like that, that he must have learned from YOU.”

Gabe chuckled. “I might have taught him how to be a lady’s man. He DOES seem to like you a lot. I mean, he talks about you all the time.”

“Yeah?”

Gabe nodded. “You make him happy. So, thank you for that.”

***

Armitage hung out in Ben’s room. It was a lazy summer day, so they were just lounging around together. Armitage was reading a book while Ben sat on his bed and drew. Armitage had bought him a drawing notebook and he had been sketching nonstop since then. Armitage had a hard time not glancing over at his work; he loved watching Ben in action. But Ben was very adamant that no one see what he was doing until he was done. “I get nervous showing someone completed stuff. Showing something that’s not done is even more nerve wracking,” he explained.

Armitage shrugged. “I suppose that makes sense. Can you at least TELL me what it is that you’re drawing?”

Ben took a deep breath. “I joined an artist group on Facebook, don’t laugh.”

“Why would I laugh?” he asked with a smile.

Ben shrugged. “I don’t know, just, anyway, they post a drawing prompt every day. Sometimes they’re things that make you really have to think, like ‘draw something that scares you’ and sometimes it’s more basic, like ‘draw something in your room’. Stuff like that.”

Armitage grinned. “But you didn’t answer the question. What are you drawing?”

He saw Ben’s cheeks turn red. “Um, yeah, it’s uh, just something.”

“Like what?” Armitage asked. “If you won’t tell me then you need to show me!” he joked as he reached for the notebook.

Ben quickly pulled it away. “No! It’s not ready!”

“Come on, Ben! Just a peek!” Armitage was crawling on top of him to reach for the notebook.

“No!” Ben shouted with a giggle.

“Come on!” Armitage started tickling his sides.

Ben flung the notebook behind him and tried to push Armitage’s hands away laughing as he did so. “Stop! Stop!”

“Then let me see it!” He reached for the notebook, now behind Ben’s head.

“No!” Ben shouted again, now pushing Armitage from him. He got on top of him and pinned him down. He looked down at him with a grin. “Not. Until. I’m. Done.” He then leaned down and kissed him. Armitage closed his eyes and accepted the kiss. Ben was typically the one to initiate intimacy, so when he did, Armitage savored it. Ben started to kiss his chin and slowly trailed down to his neck. Armitage sighed. Ben chuckled. “I love that I know how to turn you on, baby.”

“God, Ben, I love you!”

Ben kissed him tenderly on the lips. “I know. And I love YOU.” He started kissing his neck again but stopped abruptly when they heard the door open.

Han stood in the doorway. Ben quickly got off of Armitage and sat up; Armitage sat up as well. “Glad to know neither of you are killing each other.

“Sorry,” Armitage said quickly. “I didn’t realize we were being so loud. I’m sorry, Dad.” He was staring at the ground in embarrassment.

Han chuckled and shook his head. “You know, you guys still live in a house with other people. Spontaneous canoodling isn’t really a good idea.”

“We’re sorry,” Ben replied. “We were just goofing around and we weren’t thinking.”

“It’s alright, kiddo. Just… Be a little more careful.”

“Okay,” Armitage said in return.

After that, they went back to just cuddling while Ben drew and Armitage read. He was still dying to know exactly what Ben was drawing, but he was still embarrassed about Han walking in on them, so he sat quietly and waited.

Ben finally stopped moving his pencil. He stared at the page for a moment and took a deep breath. “It’s finished if you want to take a look.”

Armitage quickly shut his book, not even bothering to mark the page. “You bet I do!” He accepted the notebook and looked at Ben’s drawing. He paused and looked up at Ben and then back down at the page. It was uncanny. “You drew ME?”

Ben nodded. “The prompt I was telling you about earlier, it was to draw something you love.”

Armitage looked back up at him and smiled. “This is amazing!” He stared down at the page again. “Wow, I just… This is good!”

Ben shrugged and tried to take it back. “It’s amateur.”

Armitage pulled away. “No, Ben, this is GOOD. I mean, REALLY good!”

Ben rolled his eyes. “You’re just saying that.”

Armitage looked at him. “Really? Why would I say that?”

Ben shrugged in answer. He knew Armitage wouldn’t say something he didn’t mean, but he still had a hard time believing people when they said good things about him. He was lucky to have someone who loved him, in spite of the fact that he didn’t love himself. Ben looked at him. “If you want you can look at the other stuff I’ve drawn.”

“Yeah?” Armitage started flipping through the pages excitedly. Ben hadn’t ever shown him his other stuff. He had a sketch of Leia and Han as well as still life images. Every piece was unique and yet they each had the same signature style. “You REALLY are good, Ben. I wish you realized it.”

“I have YOU to realize it FOR me,” Ben teased.

“You know, I think Mom and Dad would love to see these,” he said as he looked up at Ben again. “If you’d be willing to show them that is?”

Ben took a deep breath. He was still scared to show off his work, but he knew that Armitage was right. His family would praise and laud his work without question. He nodded. “Sure.”

Armitage smiled and stood up, pulling Ben to his feet as well and then dashed out of the room with him in tow.


	22. Bet Your Bottom Dollar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Han has a dude's weekend with the boys while Leia takes the girls for a sisters getaway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter. Heads up, I think this is going to be the last chapter before the FINAL chapter. The final chapter is going to take some serious time because I want to do it right for you all. So, don't panic if it doesn't come in the next week or two. I want it to be perfect (as perfect as it can be). So, enjoy this chapter of family fun and be on the look out for the final chapter!

Han’s face was unreadable. He sat there quietly while it went around the table and each person placed their bets. Han glanced at his cards once again. He had two tens, that was the best he’d gotten, but he knew the game well. It didn’t matter what was in your hand as much as what the other players THOUGHT was in your hand. He could tell the others were still unsure what to make of his last move. He’d yet to go all in, but his stash was definitely dwindling at this point, but if he won this hand, he’d take the biggest pot there had been that night.

Chewbacca was the only one who had even a slight inkling of what was going on in the man’s head. But even HE wasn’t entirely certain if the man was bluffing. He’d taught Han all he knew about the game and he’d picked up some of his own tricks along the way. Only half the time, was Chewbacca able to tell if it was a bluff or not. He personally didn’t care for those odds, so he’d folded several rounds ago. Now, he watched.

Armitage licked his lips and then sucked the bottom into his mouth and bit down softly. He wasn’t sure what to make of his dad’s last bid. He looked up at him again, meeting his eyes with his own emerald orbs. He finally sighed and closed the cards together. Shaking his head, he said, “I fold.”

Han looked at Ben next. “You’re turn.”

Ben looked at the scraps of paper in the middle of the table. There were a number of chores he really didn’t want to do in that pile. But he also had managed to gain a nice sum of his own. He shook his head as well. “I’m with Tage. I’ve gotta fold.”

“You can’t let him win!” Poe exclaimed. He tossed in two slips of paper. “I raise you the toilet and tub in the upstairs bathroom. He looked Han dead in the eye as he dropped them. “I think you’re bluffing.”

“Don’t get cocky, kid,” he replied. He picked up a slip of paper and added it. “Mowing the lawn. AND I’ll throw in ironing Armie’s jackets.”

“Hey, it’s down to just the two of you now,” Finn pointed out.

Poe glanced at the ever-growing pile and then back at Han. “I can’t read him.” He sighed and dropped his cards on the table as he leaned back in his chair. “I fold.”

Han smiled. “Thank you, boys.” He gathered the papers together and added them to his. No one was surprised to have seen his winnings go from almost nothing to almost everything.

It was the weekend before school started. It was a tradition they’d started years ago. Leia took the girls out for a spa retreat weekend, while Han hung out with the boys. The first night they played poker, using the idea they’d seen on the show Firefly of using chores as what they were gambling with. After the chores were divvied up, they spent the rest of the time completing them and making sure the house was in order for Leia when they got home. When she came home with the girls Sunday night, Han would take the boys out to dinner and midnight bowling.

“Another round?” Han asked. “I’m sure some of you would like to win some of these back so you don’t have to do them,” he teased.

“I think it’s my turn to deal,” Finn said as he took the cards and began shuffling. “Alright, the game is five card draw, jacks are wild, and ace is high.” Chewbacca cut the cards and handed them back to Finn to deal.

It was a strange tradition, but Ben was loving it. It was moments like this that made him glad he’d messed up with all of his other foster families. This was where he belonged. He still sometimes argued with others at the house, but it never seemed like the end of the world like it had in his other homes. He heard Poe stomping down the hall and then he flung the door open without knocking. “Dude! Can you PLEASE clean up your hair in the bathroom after you’re done showering?”

Ben just rolled his eyes. “How do you even know it’s mine?”

“Are you serious!? Armie has red hair and Finn’s hair has a completely different texture.”

“Whatever,” Ben replied as he pulled his tank over his head and slipped it on.

“Don’t just ‘whatever’ me! Clean up your God damn hair!”

“Like YOU never leave hair in the shower,” he pointed out.

“No, I DON’T,” Poe answered. “I ALWAYS make sure to clean it out after I’m done because it’s the courteous thing to do.”

Ben could feel himself getting angry. He didn’t like being accused, or being yelled at, but he knew that Poe was right. He usually left hair in the shower because he didn’t think about it. He just didn’t like getting yelled at for it. “Fine,” he finally answered, “I’ll make sure to clean it up from now on. Sorry.” Ben turned his back to Poe, letting him know he was done with the conversation.

Poe huffed and left the room. In most of the other homes Ben had been in, that conversation probably would have ended up in a fist fight. But he felt like he was learning and growing here, like he was becoming a better person.

***

At the spa, as the girls were getting ready for their massages, Rey nearly had a break down. “I don’t want a massage,” she told her mom quietly.

Leia was about to ask why, but she stopped herself. She could understand. After the rape, she wouldn’t want someone touching her. Leia grabbed her hands. “Would you be more comfortable with a female masseur? We can arrange that.”

Rey shook her head. “I don’t think so. I just… I really don’t want to be touched that much.”

Leia nodded. “I understand.” She tucked a piece of hair behind Rey’s ear. “I’ll sit out with you on this one.”

“No, Mom, you don’t have to do that! You LOVE getting a massage and you DESERVE it!”

Leia smiled at her. “You’re sweet honey, but it’s alright.”

Rey shook her head. “I don’t want to take that away from you. How about you guys go ahead and I just stay in the room and hang out?”

Leia took a deep breath. She knew her daughter was as stubborn, if not more so, than she was. “Okay.”

Rey sat in the room reading a book while the others were getting their massages. It was a little weird to be in there with everyone when she wasn’t getting pampered along side them, but Rey eventually was able to relax. She was looking forward to the pedicure though; it was her favorite part of their spa day.

Phasma rarely got a manicure done, but she also enjoyed a pedicure. Playing soccer, she knew how important foot health was. Rose’s favorite part was getting a facial. She was invited to join them because it was their tradition. They invited Paige to come along, but she was working out of town for the next couple of weeks, so Rose was staying with the Solos anyway. It worked out perfectly.

“So, what’s up with you and Thannison?” Phasma finally asked as they were getting their pedicures done. “Poe said he went out to play basketball with them the other day and he refused to give the inside scoop.”

Rose blushed. “Well…” she trailed off.

“Details!” Phasma nearly squealed.

Rose giggled. “We’re getting pretty serious. He put his arm around me while we watched a movie the other night.”

“Wait,” Rey said, “like for the first time?”

Rose nodded. “Yeah.”

“Haven’t you guys been dating all summer?”

“We’re both taking things slow,” Rose answered.

“Have you guys even kissed yet?” Phasma asked.

“Minimally,” she answered. “I mean, a quick peck on the lips here and there. Like I said, we’re trying to take things slow.”

Phasma sat back in her chair. “Hey, you do you, honey, whatever makes you happy. I just think that is WAY too slow for my taste.”

Leia laughed. “Oh, we know.” She paused. “This may be a good time to tell you that we know about you and Poe.”

Phasma looked at her, eyes blown wide open from shock. “What?! I mean… How?”

Leia smiled. “You think you’re quiet but you’re not. BELIEVE me, you’re not.”

Phasma’s face flushed red. How embarrassing!? Their parents had been hearing them fooling around the whole time. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Your dad said he wanted to see how long it would take for you guys to say anything,” Leia chuckled.

“So, you’re okay with it then?”

Leia leaned forward and grabbed her hand. “Sweetie, you two are so happy together. Of course, we’re okay with it.”

Phasma smiled. That was one of the things she loved about her parents so much. To Han and Leia, the happiness, safety, and comfort of their family was what really mattered to them.

***

When Leia came home on Sunday with the girls, the house was beautiful. Every inch had been cleaned. The boys pulled furniture away from the walls to vacuum and dusted every book and knickknack. The fridge had been cleaned out; cleared of any food that needed to be tossed, and then washed inside and out. Leia was impressed! She always was, but the boys all drank up the admiration she gave each of them. Ben especially. He’d never had that before.

Armitage watched the way his eyes lit up whenever Leia commented on one of the chores he’d done. He knew that his own past had been tragic, but Ben’s was as well. It not just saddened him, but pained him to think that anyone would want to hurt him. Ben had been marred by his past and yet Armitage could see there was still a kindness, perhaps even, an innocence about him. He was certain that was what had drawn him to him in the first place. Ben tried to pass himself off as this dark tortured soul, but Armitage had learned to peek inside and he saw the man he really was and the person he wanted to become.

“Thank you all so much!” Leia exclaimed after she’d toured the house; Han showcasing the hard work they’d all put in. She hugged each of the boys in turn. “It looks lovely. Thank you, boys!”

“I just wish we could do more,” Armitage mentioned as he hugged her in return. And he meant it too. He loved Han and Leia dearly. He wished he could give them the world, after all, they’d given him his back.

“Well,” Han said, “dinner is in the fridge for you gals. I’m gonna take these boys for the evening. They deserve it after all the work they’ve put in this weekend.”

Leia hugged him and gave him a quick kiss. “Have fun.”

“Will do.”

Leia held on to him a moment longer. She smiled up at him and said, “I love you.”

Han just gave that sideways smile of his, the one Leia had fallen in love with, that always made her weak in the knees and answered, “I know.” He gave her another quick kiss and headed out the door.

Ben was a little nervous when they went to the bowling alley. He’d never been bowling before and didn’t know what to expect. “Don’t worry about it,” Poe commented as they sat down to change into their rented shoes. “You just throw the really heavy ball that direction. Real simple.”

“We can always ask for them to put up the railing,” Finn teased, “so you don’t get any gutter balls.”

“YOU are one who needs detka (baby) railings,” Chewbacca laughed. “We can even get you little detka ball.” He laughed heartily.

Finn laughed along with him. “Thanks so much!”

After changing their shoes, they each found a ball of their preference. Chewbacca found a hefty eighteen-pound ball for himself. Poe teased Armitage about the eleven-pound ball he’d picked. “You’re just mad because you know I’m going to kick your ass,” Armitage retorted.

Poe laughed. “You got that right.”

Apparently, the real game was between Armitage, Han, and Chewbacca. The other three were there to have fun. Of course, Ben watched Armitage whenever he stepped up to bowl. His lithe frame was elegant as he walked up to the line and tossed his ball down the alley. He also did that thing Ben had seen in movies, where when he threw the ball, he tucked one leg behind the other. It was weird, but Ben loved it. It gave him a great view of his ass.

The first game was close, with Chewbacca winning by a mere three points. “You only won because I messed up that last round,” Armitage argued playfully.

Chewbacca shrugged. “A win is a win.”

“Okay, next round!” Poe shouted. “Teams. Choose your handicap. As the first-place winner, Chewbacca will pick first.”

“I think Finn had a good streak,” he replied. “Finn will be my partner.”

“Tage?”

He shrugged and looked at Ben. “Sorry, love, Poe’s a better bowler than you.”

Ben just laughed. “It’s alright. Dad and I are gonna kick your ass,” he said with a wink.

Han patted him on the back. “That’s the spirit, kid!”

Finn had a horrible second game, making Chewbacca lose. Ben did much better his second game, but Armitage and Poe still beat him and Han. As they all headed back to the van, Han put his arm around Ben’s shoulders. “So, how’d you enjoy your first time bowling?”

Ben smiled. “It was fun! I had a blast.”

Han grinned. “Good. Good. I’m glad.”


	23. Now the Nightmares Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's back to school for the Solo kids.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really thought this would be the last chapter, but I had so much I wanted to write that I felt like I've got to split it into two, much like I did for the Homecoming chapters.  
> Please take note of the updated tags and let me know if there are any you think I should add.  
> Things start to get really dark from here on out.

Ben kissed him hard. It seemed out of character for him, but Armitage didn’t mind; he kissed him back. Ben pressed him against the wall and pressed himself into him. Ben’s hands wandered to the front of his jeans and he started to fondle him from the outside. His other hand had snaked into the back of his pants and he started to massage his crack with a long thick finger. Armitage moaned into Ben’s mouth. He pulled away from the kiss and breathlessly said, “Maybe we should move to the bed.”

Ben just nodded. He pulled away from him and pulled him to the bed, pushing him down. Armitage didn’t know why he was being so rough, but he was so caught up in the moment, he didn’t much care. Ben peeled his t-shirt from his body as Armitage sat on the edge of the bed and watched. He smiled down at him as he undid his pants and dropped them. He hadn’t been wearing any undergarments. Armitage felt himself get even more aroused. Ben grabbed his dick and started stroking himself. “Well, get undressed, pretty boy. Give me a show.”

Armitage smiled. He was wearing a button down top, so he slowly started to undo the buttons one at a time. He kept his eyes locked on Ben’s, those deep blue eyes. No, that wasn’t right, they were brown, weren’t they? No, they’d always been blue. Temmin had brown eyes.

He pulled the shirt away from his body and licked his lips. “Fuck! That’s so hot, Armitage!” Ben was on him in a flash, frantically kissing his lips and down his chin to his neck, where he sucked and bit. Armitage threw his head back and moaned. It felt so good to have Ben’s lips and teeth on him. He looked back up into his lover’s eyes and nearly screamed. He tried to pull away, but he was bigger and stronger than him; of course, he was, Armitage was only a child.

Brendol loomed over him, a sneer on his face. “You sick, disgusting creature! I’ll break you of this!” He flipped young Armitage over onto his stomach; he tried to crawl away, but the man pulled his legs closer to him.

“Dad! Please! Don’t! I won’t! I never! Please don’t!” he begged, tears pouring from his eyes.

“You think you enjoy having a cock in your ass?! Huh, boy!? Well, let’s just see!” With those words, Brendol shoved himself inside. Armitage screamed in pain. Without any preparation or lubricant of any kind, he could feel himself tear. Brendol sighed. “Yes, I can see the appeal. Your virgin ass is better than any virgin cunt I’ve had.” He pulled away and shoved in hard.

“Please! Stop!”

“So tight and just for daddy,” Brendol taunted. “Yes, say it, Armitage. Thank your daddy.” He continued to rut into him.

“Please, stop!” he begged again though in vain.

“Come now, baby, you like this,” Snaps said from behind him as he continued to fuck him. “Tell me thank you, like a good boy.”

“Temmin! Please! Stop! Please! I don’t love you!”

“You’re a whore, Hux! You’re MY whore!” Snaps yelled as he grabbed his hips tightly, certainly causing bruises, and shoved in and pulled out repeatedly. “Tell me thank you. Come on, don’t be rude. Say thank you!”

“Come on, Brendol, we’d all like to take a turn,” he heard a familiar voice say. He was on his hands and knees now, in the sitting room at his old home. He looked up and saw a number of faces he recognized; his father’s old colleagues all stood around laughing. Many of them had their own cocks out and were stroking them to full hardness. The one who’d spoken was the one Armitage hated more than any; Admiral Brooks. Brendol had worshipped the man and because of it, allowed him to do nearly anything to Armitage.

“I’m almost finished, Brooks,” the man argued back. He grabbed Armitage’s hair and pulled his head up. “If you’re so desperate, take his mouth. He’s a good boy, he won’t bite.”

Brooks grinned evilly. Armitage thought he’d never see that wicked smile again. He stepped forward. “Be a good boy, little Armitage, and suck off daddy Brooks.” He grabbed his face, forcing his mouth open and pushed his cock inside. There was a ruckus around the room. The other men shouting in excitement and praising the two men. Some of them laughed and others started taking bids to be the next one to go.

Armitage laid in bed, in pain, tears running down his face. Brendol stood in the doorway, illuminated by the light in the hall. “Tell daddy thank you,” he whispered.

Armitage felt broken. He sniffled. “Thank you, daddy,” he answered back in a whisper.

***

The nightmare had been recurring all week. School was to start on Wednesday and he’d barely gotten any sleep. He was exhausted and barely functioning. Leia looked at him with concern. It was just the two of them and Rey having breakfast. Han had an early day at work, Ben, Poe, and Phasma were out for their morning run, and Finn had chosen to take his last day of summer break to sleep in.

“Armie, are you alright?” she asked in worry.

He looked up at her, as though he’d just realized she was there. He gave her a weak smile. “I’m fine, Mom.”

Leia frowned. “You look like you’re not feeling well.” She stood up and went to him. She placed her hand on his forehead. “Hmm.” She then rested her cheek on it. She pulled away. “You don’t feel warm.”

Armitage looked up at her. He loved her so much. Leia was the most wonderful mom in the world, in his opinion, and he didn’t feel he deserved her. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. I guess I’m just anxious about school. Senior year and all. It’s a little surreal, ya know?”

Leia smiled. “It’s very exciting.” She kissed his cheek. “My boys are growing up so fast.” She sat back down at her plate on the other side of the table. Rey glanced over at her brother. She couldn’t say why, but she felt there was more going on than he was saying. Armitage never worried about school. Of all of his worries in the world, school was the one thing he KNEW he’d be okay about, but Rey just shrugged it off. She knew that if something was really bothering him, he’d say something.

***

Wednesday came and everyone was anxious. Being the first day back, Leia had a thousand things to do, so she had left early that morning. Han had taken the day off to take the kids to school. It was tradition, he told them, when Poe tried to convince him to let him drive to school.

“Since when?” Poe argued with a smile.

“Since I said so,” Han answered with his sideways smile. “You can start taking everyone to school tomorrow, but the first day is MINE.”

Poe nodded with a smile. “Okay.”

“And why is it HE gets to drive us,” Armitage asked as he slung his messenger back over his head and rested it on his left shoulder. “Ben and I have our license too.”

“Because I’M the one with a job and bought the car,” Poe answered with a smirk. “You can drive the smelly ole van if you want to drive.”

“Yeah, cause your cute little ’88 Honda Accord isn’t smelly either,” Ben teased as he tied his shoe, sitting on the couch.

“Hey, you leave BB-8 alone! He’s had a hard life. But I saved him. He’s my baby now.”

“Yes, please regale us again with the story of how you saw him in the junk yard and just KNEW it was fate,” Rey added.

“It WAS fate! If Uncle Chewie hadn’t needed to go to the junk yard that day, BB-8 would have gone to that big scrap yard in the sky.”

Finn rested a hand on his shoulder. “Bro, when you found him, he was already there. You just ignored the do not resuscitate order.”

Everyone laughed. All the other kids really did love Poe’s car, but they liked to give him a hard time about it too. It was moments like these Ben loved. He knew the others took them for granted, but he knew how lucky they all were. Like Poe and BB-8, Ben felt as though they’d been saved by Han and Leia. It was even getting easier for him to think of them as ‘mom and dad’, though he’d yet to say the words out loud.

They all piled into the van together. There were a lot of emotions coursing through the group. They were all excited about one thing or another. Ben held Armitage’s hand as they drove to school, their last first day ever.

***

“Rey!” Rose shouted when she saw them all walk in. They ran to each other and hugged like they hadn’t seen each other in years, though it had only been Monday that they’d seen each other. Paige had come home early to be able to take Rose to school on the first day. Rey and Rose linked arms and walked down the hall together.

“Do you ever think there’s more than just friendship going on between them?” Poe asked the boys as they all walked the halls together.

“No,” Finn quickly answered.

Ben shook his head. “Girls are touchy-feely like that. Besides, I really don’t think Rey is interested in anything like that.”

“I could see it,” Armitage piped in. “If Thannison wasn’t in the picture, I could see there being something between them. They’re very close.” As they turned the corner, they saw Rey and Rose at a set of lockers. Rey was trying to open one while Rose stood next to her in a lip lock with Thannison. “But the boy is a part of her life, so it’s kind of moot point.”

Poe patted Thannison on the shoulder as they walked by. He pulled away from Rose, smiled at the guys, and waved. Slowly, the group started to split up. Finn’s locker wasn’t anywhere near the other’s; theirs were all down the ‘senior hall’. So, he left for his own as the three of them made their way upstairs. Poe left for his locker and Ben and Armitage went to theirs. They weren’t next to one another, so they hit up Ben’s first.

As they went to Armitage’s locker, he could feel his face heat up. Wexley was standing there, opening the locker next to it. He turned when he was them and smiled. “Well, hey Red. How’s it going?”

Ben pulled Armitage away. “We’ll go ask the office to assign you a different locker.”

“Hey, no, wait,” Wexley said quickly. Armitage looked at him, but didn’t say a word. Wexley looked down at his feet. “I really wanted to apologize. I’ve been a jerk.” He looked up and met his eyes. “You’ve been right about a lot of things. Mostly about me being out. After Ben called me out at Prom, there really wasn’t any hiding it. My dad and I talked and he said he knew; he was just waiting for me to come out when I was ready.

“Congratulations,” Armitage replied without any real celebration in his tone.

Wexley either didn’t notice or didn’t care. He smiled. “Thanks. Look, I know we need to get to class, but I was hoping we could talk.”

“Not on your life!” Ben argued. He still didn’t like or trust Wexley.

Wexley put his hands up in defense. “Hey, I’m not trying to steal him from you or anything like that. I just want to talk.”

“Fine” Armitage agreed. “Meet me here at lunch.”

Wexley smiled. “Great! See you then.” He turned and walked away.

Armitage went to his locker now and spun the dial of the lock. “You’re not SERIOUSLY going to talk to him, are you?” Ben asked angrily.

Armitage didn’t answer at first; he was concentrating on the dial. First, he spun it three times to ‘clear it’. He sighed internally, knowing he was letting his OCD take over. He was a little shaken by seeing Snaps like that, so he was going into a default mode. He took a deep breath and spun it one more time. There. He wouldn’t let his OCD control him. He then said the numbers in his head as he put in the combination. “I honestly think he just wants to clear the air. I’ll let him say his peace and we can move on.”

Ben shook his head. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Armitage smiled over at him. “What could possibly happen? We’re at school. Be reasonable.” He unloaded his bookbag, which contained a binder and a notebook for each class subject. He put them all away except for the one for his first class; Foreign Literature. He closed the locker and they walked down the hall.

“I don’t know, I just don’t trust the guy. Okay?”

Armitage looked over at him. He stopped him and gave him a quick kiss. “I think you’re overreacting. Come on, let’s get to class.”

After walking away from them, Wexley found a quiet hallway and made a phone call. The other voice on the line answered with a simple, “Yes?”

“He wouldn’t meet with me now. Lunch time.”

“What time?” the man asked.

“Starts at 11:45,” he answered.

“Good,” the man said and hung up.

Wexley put his phone away and sighed, leaning against the wall. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this. He knew a part of him was still in love with Armitage, but he also wanted to get back at him for everything he and his ‘family’ had done to him. He straightened up, with newfound resolve. He knew exactly why he was doing this. Armitage deserved it.

***

Armitage was nervous when he met Wexley in the hall by the lockers. Ben was with him, holding his hand. Wexley smiled when he saw them. “Hey!”

“Hey,” Armitage replied unenthusiastically.

Wexley looked at Ben and asked, “Mind if we talk alone?”

“Yes,” he answered.

Armitage chuckled. “It’s alright,” he said to him. He turned to Ben and gave him a kiss. “I won’t be long.” Ben nodded. He gave Wexley one last glare before he turned and walked away.

“Can we talk outside?” Wexley suggested. Armitage just nodded and followed him out to the front of the school. They walked the grounds quietly. “I really wanted to apologize for everything man.”

“You know I’m with Ben, right?” he quickly replied.

“Oh, no, totally!” Wexley answered. “I’m not trying to win you back. You’re happy, man. And if I really care about you, then your happiness is what should really matter.”

Armitage nodded. “It seems you’ve really grown up over this last summer.”

He nodded. “I’ve had a lot to think about. Like I said, Prom was really a turning point for me. And you were right, most of my friends didn’t care that I was gay. MOST of them. But you were right, the ones who stopped being my friend because of it weren’t really my friends. I’m better off without those losers.” He stopped and turned to him. “Look, Armitage, I’m really sorry.” He paused and then smiled. “But not about this.”

Armitage looked at him in confusion, but before he had time to question, he was hit in the back of the head and his world went blank.

***

Ben tapped his foot as he waited. The late bell was about to ring and Armitage still hadn’t come to class. His blood began to boil. Stupid, fucking Snaps Wexley! He trusted Armitage, but he didn’t trust that asshole. He took a deep breath. He was just running late. The late bell finally rang. Poe leaned over. “Wow, first day and he’s already skipping classes?”

Ben looked over at him and feigned a smile. “What a jack ass; skipping class and not even inviting me,” he joked. He didn’t want Poe to see him worry. He took out his phone and texted him.

Ben: Where are you?!

He waited but there was no reply. He looked at his phone. The message was sent, but it looked like Armitage hadn’t read it yet. Why was he so nervous? It wasn’t like anything was going to happen. But he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. It didn’t feel right for Armitage to skip class like this, especially not on the first day. As soon as class let out, he bolted from the room and called him. It went straight to voicemail.

Poe caught up to him. “Hey, you okay?”

Ben shook his head. “Don’t you think it’s weird for Armitage to be skipping class like this?”

Poe shrugged. “A little.” He paused. “Hey, is something going on?”

Ben took a deep breath. “I don’t know yet.”

“What aren’t you telling me?” Poe asked.

Ben bit his lip. “I’m just not sure. Something just doesn’t feel right about all this. First Wexley-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, what about Wexley?”

Ben shrugged. “He said he wanted to talk to Armitage. Wanted to apologize to him I guess.”

Poe’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, that doesn’t sound like Wexley.” Poe got his phone out and called Armitage. He sighed and hung up. “Straight to voicemail.”

“Same here,” Ben replied.

“Honestly, if Wexley is involved, I’m with you, something just ain’t right.”

“Well, what can we do?”

Poe heaved a heavy sigh. It was a fair question. What COULD they do? There wasn’t anything wrong as of yet. Armitage had missed a class, which could be deemed a little out of the ordinary, but he was a teenager. Kids skipped class from time to time. “I think we need to just wait it out. We could be overreacting to all this. Maybe they ARE just talking and they lost track of time. I think we should just wait until school is done and then we can go from there.”

Ben nodded. He didn’t like it, but he knew Poe was right. At the moment, they needed to sit and wait. The rest of the school day was agonizing. Every chance he got, he texted him and called him; each call went straight to voicemail. He met Poe at the front of the school when the day was over. “You hear from him?” Poe asked, but seeing Ben’s eyes, he knew the answer already.

“I’ve been calling and texting him, but no answer.” He could feel tears prick the edges of his eyes. He was scared. “What do we do?”

Poe shook his head. “I don’t know. We need to tell Dad. I’ll make sure to grab Rey and Finn, you go find Dad. I’m sure he’s already in the parking lot waiting for us.” Ben nodded and then split up. He found Han’s old van quickly. He went to it and opened the door.

Han smiled at him. “Hey, kid, how was the first day?” Before Ben could say anything, his face grew serious. “What’s wrong?” Han could tell Ben was upset and frantic.

“I don’t know where Armitage is.”

“What do you mean?”

“I saw him at lunch, but he hasn’t been in any of his classes since,” Ben quickly explained.

Han heaved a heavy sigh. “That kid better have a good excuse for skipping classes on the first day.”

“I don’t think he was skipping,” Ben replied.

“What do you mean?”

“He was with Wexley. That’s the last I saw him. I really think he did something to him.”

“Alright, calm down-”

“I WON’T calm down!” he shouted. “Something has happened to Armitage; I just know it!”

Han got out of the van and went to Ben. He put a reassuring hand on his arm. “We’ll figure it out. Alright? I promise.”

Ben nodded. He trusted Han. He knew that they’d find him.

Han checked at the office, sure enough, Armitage had missed all of his classes from the second half of the day. Wexley had too. It didn’t prove anything though. He decided to check with Mr. Kenobi.

“We can look through the cameras,” Mr. Kenobi suggested. “He was last seen at lunch?”

“Yeah, that’s what Ben said,” Han answered.

Mr. Kenobi logged into the system and scrolled to the camera feed around lunch time. “Here they are, looks like they exited the building around 11:50.” He fast forwarded. “Looks like they walked out of the camera rang.”

“Any camera’s in the parking lot?”

Mr. Kenobi checked them, but there was no sign of them leaving. “I don’t know what to tell you, Han. But you’re right, something DOES seem off about this.”

Just then, Mr. Wexley stepped through the door. “What’s going on?” he asked in worry.

Han looked at him. “It seems your son and mine are both missing.”

“What?”

Mr. Kenobi explained, “The cameras show them both leaving the building at lunch time. They moved out of camera sight while they were walking. We don’t know what happened after that.”

“Do you think someone may have attacked them?” Mr. Wexley suggested.

“I hate to suggest it,” Mr. Kenobi began, “but the evidence suggests to me that they may have left together.”

“Is Temmin’s car still in the parking lot?” Han asked.

“I don’t know. I can check.”

“Where does he usually park?” Mr. Kenobi asked.

Mr. Wexley thought about it. “Near the football field I believe.”

Again, Mr. Kenobi scanned the cameras. “There he is. Getting into his car around 11:54 and taking off.”

“Alone?” Han asked.

Mr. Kenobi nodded. “Alone.”

“Why would he leave?” Mr. Wexley asked rhetorically.

“I don’t know,” Han replied anyway. “But we’re gonna find out.”

***

Armitage woke up and looked around the room trying to understand what had happened. Wexley. He’d been talking to him. He was apologizing. He seemed so sincere, but it had been a set up. While they were talking, someone had come up behind Armitage and knocked him out. His head ached.

He looked around the room. It was clearly a basement, but he didn’t recognize it. Where was he? Fear clenched at his chest. Who had kidnapped him? Why? What did they want from him? Why was Wexley involved? He knew he was angry with him, but enough to be a part of a kidnapping? What did he have to gain?

As Armitage’s head started to clear, he took notes of more things. His shirt had been removed. He was tied with his hands behind his back, laying on the concrete floor, with his feet bound together at the ankles. He rolled around and got himself into a seated position. He wasn’t gagged, so he assumed his captor figured there wouldn’t be any use in him screaming for help. He decided to try nonetheless.

“Help! Someone! Anyone!” Suddenly, he began to sob as well. Quietly, he said to the emptiness around him, “Please, someone… Help me.”

“No one is coming to help you, Armitage,” he heard a man’s voice reply from the shadows.

His eyes grew wide and his heart began to beat hard against his chest. ‘NO! It can’t be!’ he thought to himself. But he knew that voice, even though it had been years since it last rang in his ears, it had remained inside his head. No matter how long it had been, he’d recognize the voice of Brendol Hux any day.

***

As soon as Han got the kids home, he called the police. Leia was still working, but came straight home. She paced the room as they spoke to the officer. Ben felt comfort in it being Officer Windu. He felt the guy was trustworthy. He wrote as they spoke. “So, he was last seen at 11:45 today?”

Ben nodded. “Yeah. He was going to talk with Temmin Wexley.”

“I have another officer speaking with Mr. Wexley as well. Their absence may be connected. Now, Mr. Solo, you said you looked over the cameras with the school principal?”

“Vice principal,” he answered, “yes.”

“And the last your son was visible was at 11:50.”

“Yes.”

“Alright. Now, I have some standard questions. I know what this looks like and I know what you’re fearing, but more than 90% of cases of children missing is because they ran away.”

Leia stopped pacing and turned to him. “Armie would NEVER run away!” she nearly shouted.

“I’m not saying that he did, ma’am, but this is standard procedure and I just want to cover all of our bases. First, do you have a recent photo of him?”

Ben got his phone out and went to his photo gallery before handing it to Officer Windu. He chuckled. “You sure do like to look at that boy,” he joked. “Alright, text these three to me,” he said as he pointed to the ones he wanted. He gave Ben the number as he handed the phone back. “Now, WOULD Armitage have any reason to leave? Alone or with Temmin?”

“No!” Leia answered.

Han grabbed her hand. “It’s alright, sweetheart, we’ll find him.” He looked at Officer Windu. “Honestly, not that I can think of. He’s always been happy with us. He was happy with Ben. I can’t think of any reason he would want to run away.”

“He had been upset,” Rey finally piped in.

“What?” Han asked.

“He… He’s been upset the last few days. Mom even noticed it yesterday morning,” she said.

“I thought he looked like he wasn’t feeling well,” Leia admitted. “He said he was just anxious about school starting.”

“He’s been having nightmares,” Poe added.

“What?” Leia replied.

“I’ve heard him at night,” Poe explained. “Just crying in his sleep. Sometimes like, whimpering like he was in pain.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Leia asked.

He shrugged. “I didn’t think it was a big deal. I mean, we all have bad dreams, right?”

“Okay,” Officer Windu said. “Back to this Wexley kid. Would he have any reason to hurt your son?”

Leia sighed and sat next to Han. “They’ve been at odds for some time,” she answered. “They dated a year or so ago. Armitage broke it off because he wanted them to be open about their relationship and Wexley didn’t want to come out yet.”

“But he and Ben have been together for several months now,” Han pointed out.

“I honestly don’t think Snaps ever got over him,” Poe mentioned. “I think he was still pining over him.”

“And he DOES have a history of violence,” Ben added. “He DID attack me at school.”

Han chuckled. “Yeah, but it sounded like you were inviting it.”

Ben shook his head. “He started it. He was harassing Armitage and then harassing me. And HE swung first.”

“If Armitage ran away, where would he go?”

No one had an answer. No one actually thought that he HAD ran away. “I could see him walking aimlessly,” Ben finally answered. “Sometimes he’d gets lost in his own thoughts.”

“He might try to see his therapist,” added Leia. “Dr. Zuri.”

Officer Windu continued to take notes. Everyone looked up when the house phone rang. Officer Windu looked at Han and nodded. They all feared the same thing. That Armitage had been kidnapped and this was the culprit calling for instructions on a ransom. Han got up and answered it on the second ring. “Hello. Yes.” He handed the receiver to Poe. “It’s Gabe.”

Poe took the phone. “Hey,” he said. Since they’d fixed their relationship, he looked forward to his weekly call, but he wasn’t expecting his call until Friday.

“Listen,” Gabe said quickly. “I don’t know how much time we got. I’m worried it might be too late already.”

Poe grew scared. “What is it?”

“You have a brother named Armani or something like that, right?”

“Armitage,” he corrected. He was worried now as he glanced over at his parents. What could Gabe be calling about concerning Tage? “Yeah. What about him?”

“He’s in trouble.”

“Hold on, I’m gonna put you on speaker.” He pressed the button for speaker and said, “Okay, go ahead. What do you mean he’s in trouble?”

Leia covered her mouth in shock and fear. What had happened to her baby?! She sat quietly as she listened; holding her breath. She held Han’s hand tightly. It was like a nightmare. She just wanted it to be over. She wanted her son in her arms again. She wanted him safe and sound.

“I got eyes and ears everywhere, cuz. His ole man just got out. I don’t know if he escaped or if it was an early release or what, but I know he’s on the outside now. And he be looking for his kid. Something about wanting to finish what he started or some shit. He’s coming after him!”

“His father, Brendol?” Han asked, venom in his voice as he said the name aloud.

“Yeah, Brendol Hux. I’m sorry, man, I called as soon as I could. The officers here didn’t want to believe me neither,” Gabe added.

“What else have you heard?” Officer Windu asked. “Anywhere he might have taken him Anything at all. Even the tiniest detail can help.”

“What, he’s missing?! Son of a bitch! I tried to call as soon as I could, I am so sorry.” He sighed heavily. “No, I’m afraid that’s all I got. The man is out and looking for his son, wants to finish what he’d started. That’s all that I heard. I can keep my eyes and ears open, let you know if I hear anything else, but I’m sure no ones gonna tell me nothin’ no more. At this point I’m pretty sure I’m being marked as a snitch.”

“I’ll make sure you’re put into protective custody,” Officer Windu said. “I’ll make some calls as soon as I can.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Gabe replied. “Just get that kid home safe.”

***

Armitage felt his stomach drop as Brendol emerged from the shadows. “What’s the matter, Armitage? Aren’t you happy to see your father again?” He stepped closer.

Armitage started to slide back, vainly attempting to get away from him. “Stay away from me!” he cried.

“Or WHAT?!” Brendol reached him in two strides. He grabbed him by his hair and pulled him to his feet. Armitage screamed in pain. “There’s nothing you can do, boy! You’re mine! I should have taken you out like the trash you are a long time ago!” He threw him to the floor.

“Please! Please, don’t hurt me!” he cried. He felt like a child again, completely helpless.

“You don’t even deserve to live! You, abomination!” he yelled as he kicked him in the ribs. He continued to kick him, in the side, in his face, screaming profanities and accusations at him as he did. Armitage just sobbed. Begging him to stop wouldn’t do him any good, he knew that. But the supplications for mercy escaped his lips anyway.

Brendol stopped. “You disgust me. I wish you’d never been born. That whore of a mother of yours should have gotten rid of you when she had the chance.”

Armitage looked up through his blood -soaked eyes. “Keep my mother out of this,” he said weakly.

Brendol just chuckled. “You did well, thank you,” he said. Armitage didn’t know who he was talking to until he heard the other voice.

“He deserves whatever you give him,” Wexley replied.

“Temmin?” he questioned, tears in his eyes. “Why?”

"He’s right, Armitage,” he said with a sneer, “you don’t deserve to live.”

“Shut up, boy,” Brendol said. He pulled a gun from his belt and pointed it at him.

Wexley put his hands up and took a step back. “Hey, no worries man. I’ll just take off then.”

Brendol chuckled, deep in his chest. “And give you the chance to grow a conscience?” He shot him twice in the chest. The sound ringing through the small concrete room. Wexley stumbled back, grabbing at his chest. “You’re just as filthy and disgusting as HE is. I wish all of you faggots would die.” He stepped closer to Wexley, who had slid down the wall to the floor. “Well, I’ll do what I can to take you all out. Even if I have to do it one at a time.” He pressed the barrel to his forehead and pulled the trigger again.

Armitage looked away and puked. He sobbed. “Please, please don’t kill me! Please!”

Brendol stepped forward again. “I won’t kill you, Armitage, not just yet anyway. I want you to suffer first.” He leaned down and shoved Armitage’s face into the puddle of his own bile. “This is what you are, Armitage. You’re nothing but disgusting rot and putrid life. You don’t deserve a quick death. No, you’re going to suffer for putting me away. And then when I’m done, I’m going to sodomize you, just before I slit your fucking throat!” He stood up and stepped away. “I’ll be back soon enough. Don’t bother trying to yell for help, there’s no one near to hear you.” He walked the length of the room. He said nothing more as he ascended the stairs and exited the room. Armitage heard a lock click closed. He curled up on himself and sobbed.


	24. Now the Nightmares Real Part Two + Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all who have followed and commented your thoughts and feelings and left kudos! I have really enjoyed creating this fic. It went in places I hadn't expected it to, but I loved where it took me. I hope you're enjoyed the ride as well. Make sure to check out some of my other works or send me a request if you'd like and I'll see what I can do. As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

He’d been gone for more than 48 hours now. Ben sat on his bed quietly. Rey was sitting with him, curled up against his side, her head resting on his shoulder. Finn was on his bed while Poe was sitting on the other side with Phasma pacing the room. “I hate that there’s nothing we can do!” Phasma said.

Ben felt the same way. He was so angry, but there was nothing he could do. They all were basically confined at home since Armitage’s disappearance. They weren’t even allowed to leave to take their morning run. Ben had so much pent up energy and rage and he didn’t know what to do with it.

The night before, he crawled in bed with Han and Leia and sobbed. “Can I talk to you guys?” he asked at the door.

Han looked up from his phone, Leia from her book. “Sure thing, kid,” Han replied as he set his phone on the nightstand. “What’s up?”

Suddenly, Ben was sobbing. “I’m scared!” he admitted.

“Ben! Honey!” Leia opened her arms to him. He went to her and fell into her arms. She shushed him and stroked his hair.

“What’s gonna happen to Armitage?!” He continued to sob.

“The police are doing all they can,” Han tried to reassure him. He sighed. “There’s not a lot to go on, but we’re NOT giving up. I promise.”

Ben sniffled. “I’m just scared I’ll never see him again. What am I gonna do?”

Leia sighed. “I wish I could bring him back, sweetie. For you, for us, for him… We WILL find him.”

“I never should have let him be alone with Wexley. I KNEW that guy was up to something.”

“This isn’t on you, kiddo. You couldn’t have known,” Han assured him.

“But I DID know something was wrong!” Ben argued as he pulled away from Leia. He wiped his eyes and his nose with the back of his hand. “It didn’t feel right leaving him alone with him. I just feel so sick to my stomach thinking about what that asshole might be doing to him.”

“I wish I knew what to do for you,” Leia replied.

Ben was quiet for a moment. “Can I sleep with you guys tonight?” he asked hesitantly. “I just need to be with you.”

Leia smiled at him and pulled him close gain. “Okay, sweetie,” Leia answered. “Just go to sleep. We’ll be right here.”

It was the first time Ben had ever slept in bed with his parents. When he was a child, his parents would never allow him to. When Ben woke up, he was snuggled in between Han and Leia. It was strange, but in that moment, he knew that he’d finally found his true home.

Ben was glad to be there for Rey while she sobbed about Armitage being gone. It was nice that all the kids had gathered together, relying on one another’s strength. They didn’t want to go anywhere in the house; it was being swarmed by cops off and on. Each of the kids had been interviewed individually and as a group.

The cops had tracked Armitage’s phone, but whomever had taken him had been smart. They turned it off and left it in a random parking lot. Wexley’s car had been found just a few miles from the school, but there was no sign of him. His phone was in the car.

There was nothing they could do and that was the most frustrating part of the whole ordeal. All they could do was wait.

***

Armitage didn’t know how long he’d been in the basement. There were no windows to see outside; nothing that would indicate how much time had passed. He was hungry and tired. Brendol hadn’t come back since he’d locked him in. He sat up, though it was painful. He looked over at Wexley’s lifeless body by the steps and he started to cry. He might have been angry at Wexley for everything he’d done, but he’d never wished him any harm; least of all his death.

He was scared too. Brendol had said he was going to kill him. He didn’t want to die. He forced himself to stop crying. That wasn’t going to help him out of this situation. He sniffled and looked around the basement. It was difficult to see, the room was illuminated by a single hanging light in the middle of the ceiling and his right eye was swollen shut. The basement was empty. There were a few make-shift shelves, made from cinder blocks and two-by-fours. They were empty though, but perhaps the shelves could be of use to him.

He knew he was flexible enough he could get his arms in front of him by going under his feet. He tried to move, but screamed in pain. He must have had a few fractured ribs and who knew what else. He gritted his teeth and tried to push through the pain. He groaned in agony. He heard the door open and Brendol start to descend the steps. He stopped moving. He didn’t want him to know what he was attempting.

Brendol walked over to him and sneered. “What are you screaming about, boy?” Armitage didn’t answer him. Brendol scoffed. “Pathetic.” He opened the front of his trousers and started to pee on him. Armitage tried to roll away, but he ran right into the wall. “Next I should make you eat my shit,” he said when he was finally done and put himself away. He knelt down next to him. “I hear your ‘family’ is looking for you. Don’t get your hopes up, Nancy boy. By the time they DO find you, you’ll be dead and I’ll be long gone from here, but until then, I’m going to make you suffer.” He stood up and walked away, leaving up the stairs.

Armitage was now more determined than ever. He didn’t know how long Brendol was going to toy with him before he got bored. He was NOT going to die there. He REFUSED! With every ounce of strength he had, he contorted his body so he could get his hands in front of him. Pain shot through him. He felt bones grinding on bones and sharp stabs of pain in his chest. But he did it. He laid there, breathing heavily. The pain was excruciating, but he’d managed to get through it.

Once he’d caught his breath, he started working on getting the bindings on his wrists off. He decided to try using a corner of one of the cinder blocks to saw through it. First, he tried to loosen the rope as much as he could, but twisting his hands back and forth. Unfortunately, Brendol knew what he was doing, there wasn’t much slack to give. So, he simply started sawing the ropes on the corner of the cinder block. The ropes weren’t thick, but it took some time before he felt a length of the rope give and split. He was able to remove the rope from his wrist then.

His ribs and chest still ached, but he knew he needed to work on getting out quickly, so he pushed through the pain. He stretched down to his feet and began untying the rope. Finally, he was free from his restraints, but he was far from done. Now, he needed to figure out how to escape. He looked around the basement, it was a single room, no windows. There was some exposed tubing and wires, but there was no exit except that door.

Armitage didn’t want to try the door just to find that it was locked. Rattling the knob would let Brendol know that he’d made his way up the stairs. Unless by some miracle he’d left, but at this point, Armitage wasn’t willing to count on luck. He didn’t have his phone, but perhaps Wexley had his. He didn’t want to touch the body; it was morbid and strange, but he needed to see if he had his phone on him.

Armitage closed his eyes and took a breath. He went to the body of Temmin “Snaps” Wexley and started looking through his belongings. He pushed away the thought that this lifeless form was once someone he’d cared about. It was strange to feel how cold he was. Tears fell from his eyes. He hated Wexley, but even HE didn’t deserve this fate. He checked every pocket, but came up with nothing. Brendol must have taken it.

He needed to think things through. There wasn’t any way out other than the door. He had no tools of any kind, not even makeshift ones. He paused at that thought. He went back to the makeshift shelving. He looked it over carefully. It wasn’t well constructed. There was nothing to fasten any of it together. It simply was two cinder blocks with some wood. Two cinder blocks on top of that, with another length of wood, going up about five layers. He could use a two by four as a weapon. Not a great one, but better than nothing. But he didn’t know if he was going to be able to get one of them without making any noise and alerting Brendol. He knew he had to try.

He could try to lift the top blocks and set them down, but he hurt so much, he didn’t know if he could. He could try to slide the wood forward, but he feared it would make too much noise when the top blocks slammed on the ones below them. He decided his best bet would be to just lift the cement blocks. He steeled himself, took as deep a breath as he could, and picked up the first block. Pain shot through him. His ribs ached, causing a flaring pain to go through his sides. He told himself he had to be quiet; it was the only way he might make it out of this alive. So, he gently set the block down, careful not to let it make any sound.

He breathed heavily, which hurt his lungs. He feared one might be punctured from a broken bone. He pushed all other thoughts away. He didn’t need to worry about any of that at the moment. What he needed to focus on was getting that single piece of wood in his hands. He lifted the second block, it seemed much easier doing it a second time, and set it on the floor as well. He grabbed the two by four. It was maybe three feet long, a little longer than a baseball bat, but he could still swing it at Brendol like it was one.

Now all he had to do was wait. He didn’t know when he’d be coming back though. It could be hours or days. He sighed. He supposed, his next step would be to check the door. He slowly crept up the staircase, wincing at every creak he heard. He got to the door and slowly turned the knob. It didn’t budge. So, he’d have to go back to waiting. He slowly made his way back down the steps. He leaned against the wall the stairs came from. He didn’t know how long he’d have to wait, but that was all he could do.

***

Leia cooked a frozen lasagna for dinner. She typically enjoyed cooking, but couldn’t bring herself to do much of anything, so frozen food was all she could manage. Everyone was quiet as they sat around the dinner table, a sense of gloom hung over them like a cloud. Han wasn’t surprised that no one had much of an appetite, but he was starving. He’d kept accidentally skipping meals until dinner time; he was working tirelessly to find answers. He was putting up missing signs all over town, talking to every stranger who would allow him a minute of their time. Unfortunately, everything was coming up a bust.

Leia cleared her throat, getting everyone’s attention. “I know no one wants to, but everyone will be going back to school tomorrow.” Since Armitage had gone missing, they had all stayed home, fear and worry being the only thing they could feel. “There’s not anything any of you can do. Keeping a fairly normal routine will help.”

“Do the cops have ANYTHING yet?” Poe asked.

Han shook his head. “They’ve told us everything they can. They’re still looking for him.” He sighed on the inside. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but there was a part of him that feared that when they DID find him, it would be dead. He’d been missing four days now. No ransom had been asked for and there was so little to go on. Han knew that the likelihood of finding his son alive was slim and that thought tore him up inside.

Lying in bed that night with Leia, he finally let himself break down. “Finding his body would at least give some closure, but… I want to find him alive.” He started to cry. “How are we gonna get through this? The kids all hurt so much. And I know I’ve gotta be strong in front of them. I NEED to put on a brave face for their sake.”

Leia wiped the tears that trailed down his cheeks. “You ARE strong, Han. And it’s okay to hurt. We’re all scared; you’re not immune to it. You fear you’ll never see your son again, that you’ll never hold him in your arms again. The pain of that thought, well, it’s devastating. No parent should ever have to lose a child. It breaks the natural order of things.”

Han took a deep breath. “We’re going to find him. One way or another.”

Leia smiled at him and nodded. “I know.” But her fears were in line with Han’s. She feared she’d never see Armitage again.

***

Armitage could feel himself growing tired. He still had no idea how long it had been. He was weak from hunger too. All he wanted to do was sleep, but he told himself he had to stay awake. He had to be ready for whenever Brendol returned. He felt his eyelids drooping. He sat down. As long as he woke whenever he came back, he could take a small rest. Why not? He knew it was dangerous. There was no guarantee he’d wake up, but he needed his strength. He had so little of it already. He closed his eyes and let himself doze.

He woke to the sound of the door creaking open and then he heard Brendol’s heavy footfalls along the staircase. He quietly stood up and waited. He held his breath. He was scared. He was scared he wouldn’t do anything other than fuel the man’s rage, but he was even more afraid of dying alone in that place without his family ever knowing of his demise.

Brendol took the last step into the basement and Armitage swung. It hit him square in the face and he fell back. Damn it! He’d have to get by him still. He hit him another time before he leapt over him and started to bound up the stairs, but he wasn’t fast enough. Brendol grabbed him by his ankle, making him fall. He stood and pulled him down the few steps he’d gone up and back into the basement. Armitage kicked at him and swung the wood plank at him again, but Brendol grabbed it as he swung and ripped it from his hands. “Think you’re smart, do you?” He hit him with the two by four. “You little piece of shit! You’re never getting away!”

He’d let go of his ankle now and began beating him mercilessly. “Please! Stop! Please!” Armitage sobbed as he lifted his hands in front of himself to try and withstand the blows as much as possible. After a few more strikes, he finally stopped. “Please, I’ll do anything you want. ANYTHING! Please, just please, stop. Please,” he whimpered.

Brendol scoffed. “You ARE pathetic. Thin as a slip of paper and just as useless.” He knelt down and grabbed his hand. “What is THIS?” Armitage looked up; his promise ring. “I never envisioned you as a boy who wore this kind of thing, even if you are a faggot.” He tried to pull it off of his finger, but he pulled his hand away.

“Please, leave it,” he begged. “Take whatever else you want.”

Brendol stared down at him. “It was a gift from that cock-sucking man-whore you’re with, isn’t it?”

How did he know about Ben?! How did he know ANYTHING about him!? Armitage could feel himself become angrier. Who knew what all Wexley had told him? “Please. Please, just let me go. Please,” he begged, his voice cracking. He was in so much pain; he just wanted to die.

Brendol stood up and walked away. Armitage didn’t even look to see where he was going or what he was doing; he didn’t have the strength. “So you don’t try running away again, boy!” he said and then slammed a cinder block on his foot. Armitage howled in pain. He brought it up again and slammed it down once more. Armitage could hear the bones crack; shatter really. He then did the same to his other foot. He tried to get away, but he couldn’t move! The pain he was in made it hard to move. And the fear that clenched his chest caused him to be immobile anyway. “No one is going to save you, boy.” He tossed the cinder block aside and went up the stairs.

Armitage sobbed. He was going to die here. He was never going to see his family again. He would die without holding his mom or his dad. He was going to die without telling Poe and Finn how happy he was to have them as his brothers. He’d never get the chance to tell Rey and Phasma that they were the best sisters he could have ever asked for. He wouldn’t have the chance to tell Ben, one last time, how much he loved him.

He heard Brendol come back down the steps; he didn’t care. He had given up any and all hope. He was never getting out of here. Brendol knelt beside him and jabbed his arm with a sharp object. “Just a little something to help you get through the night,” he whispered as he plunged the needle down. He was drugging him?!

“I’m already going to do whatever you want,” Armitage said, quietly. “Please, just don’t hurt me anymore. Please!”

Brendol just chuckled in a maniacal way. “But I want to make sure we have more time together. I’d hate for you to die before the big finale.” He patted his check in a mock tender way. “Just wait a bit, it’ll kick in soon enough, and then the REAL fun can begin.” With that, Brendol went back up the stairs.

Armitage laid there. He HATED him! He hated Wexley! He didn’t have a relationship with God, if He even existed. If He did, well, then damn Him too! What had Armitage ever done to deserve this? He sniffled. He didn’t have any tears left. Besides, he was starting to feel… Lighter? Yes, the pain was slowly subsiding. It must have been the drugs Brendol had given him. He hated the man, but he was grateful for the euphoria that seemed to be taking over.

He slowly began to realize; everything was going to be alright. He was feeling good. Maybe even great. He felt his body slowly grow numb. No, numb wasn’t quite it, but the pain was gone. He started to breathe a little slower. There wasn’t any need to panic anymore. He smiled up at the ceiling. Yes, everything was going to be alright. He just knew it.

He heard Brendol come back down the steps; he had something in his hand. Pruning shears? No, not quite. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Armitage let him. He felt great! What else could the man possibly do to him? “Just hold still and this will all be over quickly,” Brendol said as he opened the shears and put his finger between the two blades.

He had enough time; he was certain of it. Armitage was passed out from the morphine he’d given him. It was still dark out, but it wouldn’t be for long. He needed to make his delivery quick. He put the finger in a large manila envelope and made his way into town to the Solo home. He put the envelope on the front step and quickly left. He smiled to himself. Oh, how he wished he’d be able to see their faces. He headed back to his hideout. He was so pleased with himself; he didn’t notice the dark car on the other side of the street that started to follow slowly behind him.

***

Han had called Officer Windu as soon as they found it. He knew it was Armitage’s. The bastard had cut off his finger and sent it to them! Han balled his fists. If he ever laid eyes on that monster, he’d kill him. No questions asked, he knew he would.

Their home was once again, crawling with law informant. The kids all huddled together downstairs in the game room. Ben and Rey sat on the floor together on a bean bag chair. She buried her face in his chest. She was so scared, but she felt safer with Ben. His arms around her made her feel like she was in a cocoon. She eventually fell asleep.

Phasma looked over at Ben. “Are you okay?” she asked him in a whisper. They all spoke in hushed tones, as not to wake Rey.

He shook his head. “I’m angry. I want to hurt someone or something.”

“At least the forensics team said they’re about 90% he was alive when…” Poe didn’t want to say the words out loud. Who could cut a person’s finger off?! Let alone your own child’s?

“That doesn’t mean he is NOW,” Ben pointed out.

“It was only hours ago,” Finn tried to reassure him. “The forensics guys said that too.”

Ben took a deep breath. He knew they were right. It was better to keep his hope alive, but he still feared Armitage wasn’t.

Upstairs, Han held Leia sat on the couch. Answering any questions they could for the officers investigating. “It’ll take time,” Officer Windu said, sitting across from them, “but I’m certain the forensics team will be able to find something useful.” He sighed heavily. “I’m just not sure how much time we have.”

Han’s phone rang. He had no intention of answering it, but he did when he saw that it was Chewie. “Hey,” he answered.

“I’ve found them,” he whispered.

“What?!”

“I saw him this morning,” he explained, continuing in a whisper. “I was there to see you, but I waited when I saw a strange car approach the house. He left something at the door, but I knew this was the best chance to find him. I followed him.”

Han put him on speaker. “Where are they?”

“Off of exit 12, not far from there,” he answered. “I’m going in.”

“No, don’t do that,” Officer Windu quickly said. “I’ll send a unit out there immediately. Give us the address.”

“No,” Chewie replied. “My boy’s son is in there. If we wait, it may be too late to save him. I’ll text you the directions, but I’m going in.” He hung up.

Windu paced. “Damn it! He may hurt our chances of saving him!”

Han got the text and handed it to Officer Windu. “Then get there as soon as you can. Save my son.”

***

Armitage was groggy. The pain was starting to come back. And now, his finger was added to the list of injuries. Brendol had bandaged it up. “I don’t want you to bleed out now, Nancy boy,” he said as he wrapped a bandage around his hand. “I hope your lover understands the message I’m sending. After all, I took the finger that had his ring on it.” He finished dressing the wound and then picked up the amputated digit. “I’ll be taking this to your ‘family’,” he informed him. Armitage didn’t care. He closed his eyes and went unconscious.

That was the last thing he remembered. Now that he was awake again, he wondered what the next bit of torture would be. Or would Brendol just kill him out right next. No, he was certain the man wasn’t done toying with him yet. If he had been, there would have been no sense in bandaging his hand. Armitage lifted it to look at it. His hand shook. It was strange to see it with only four fingers. He put it back down and wept.

Brendol came down the stairs. Armitage looked at him. “Just kill me,” he begged. “Or let me go. Please.”

Brendol laughed. “You think you can make demands boy? You’re in no position to do so.” He walked to where he lay and kicked him in the face. “I wish you’d never been born. You disgust me. Perhaps the fun HAS run its course.” He started to circle him, like a vulture waiting for a creature to die. “What was the last thing I promised you? Ah, yes, I was going to fuck your arse. The question is, boy, how should I? I could use a metal rod, sodomize you that way, or perhaps a small tree branch, or would you like my own cock?”

Armitage shook his head. “Please, don’t.”

“But I thought you enjoyed having things shoved up your arse,” he replied as he stopped moving. “Isn’t that how you, faggots, fuck?”

“Please, just don’t,” he begged again. “Whatever you want, it’s YOURS. Just, please, don’t… Don’t hurt me anymore.”

“Alright, my poor boy. Alright. I’ll just kill you.” He stepped forward, when suddenly, someone immerged from the shadows and grabbed him. “What the-”

“I don’t think so,” Armitage heard a thick Russian accent. Chewie? Yes! It WAS him! “You can’t kill him, if YOU’RE dead. Dasvidaniya!” He then grabbed his head and with a quick turn, snapped his neck. Armitage watched as he dropped his lifeless body to the floor. He knelt next to him and pulled him into his arms. “My little sparrow!” Armitage moved as much as he could to fling his arms around his neck and then sobbed. “It’s alright now. It’s alright. We’re going home.”

The police arrived as they exited the small house. It was in the middle of nowhere; on the outskirts of town. Chewie carried Armitage in his arms. He refused to release the boy. He climbed into the police car and held him all the way to the hospital.

Han and Leia had been told he was being taken to the hospital. They didn’t want the kids to see Armitage like this, but they also knew there was going to be no way to stop them. So, Han left Leia’s side to tell the other kids.

He quickly descended the stairs. Ben met his gaze. There was fear in the boy’s brown eyes. He didn’t want to ask the question aloud, not wanting to hear the answer if it wasn’t the better outcome. “They found him,” Han told them. “They’re taking him to the hospital right now.”

“He’s alive?!” Ben nearly shouted, tears streaming down his face.

Han’s eyes filled with water as well. “He is. Come on. Chewie’s with him now.”

Ben shook Rey awake. She looked up at him, drowsily. “They found him. He’s alive!”

This woke her completely. “Really?!”

Ben nodded. He stood up and pulled her to her feet. “We’re going to the hospital to see him.”

Everyone was happy beyond measure as they piled into the van together. Of course, when they arrived, they wouldn’t let anyone into his room besides Han and Leia. Chewie came down to the waiting room as they went to see Armitage. Rey ran to him and hugged him. “He is safe now, little sparrow,” he promised in a sweet tone. He went to where everyone else was and sat with them. Rey sat in his lap and held him around his neck. She looked so young in his arms. But Ben knew with all that she’d gone through, she was more grown up than most girls her age.

“How is he?” Ben asked.

“He is alive,” Chewie answered. “He will live. His body will heal. His soul… He was broken before, but now…”

“And his dad?” Poe asked.

“His father, Brendol, is dead,” Chewie answered. “Armitage says he doesn’t know who, but someone came in and killed the man just before he tried to kill Armitage. There was no one else there when I arrived.” Before they left the house, they both agreed to stick to this story. Neither of them knew if Chewie would be tried for murder or if it would be considered self-defense on Armitage’s behalf. It was easier to lie. When Chewie gave his statement to Officer Windu, he didn’t believe him, but he understood. He accepted it and put it in his report as truth.

Ben was relieved beyond imagination. He started to sob. Poe moved to his side and held him. “He’s okay, Ben. He’s gonna be okay.”

***

After many surgeries and a long hospital stay, Armitage finally went home. The surgeons weren’t able to reattach his finger, but he was just glad to be alive. He wouldn’t talk about what happened, not to anyone, not even Ben. But Ben was with him every step of the way in his recovery. He helped him with physical therapy and took any of Armitage’s angry outburst. The first was one morning when Ben went to his room to help him get up for the day.

Armitage was sitting in his bed, still under the covers, staring out the window. Ben smiled as he stepped in. “Morning,” he offered warmly.

“Go away,” Armitage replied.

Ben sighed. He knew he was fighting with depression, it wasn’t surprising, considering what he’d been through. “It’s time to get up for the day.”

“I don’t want to,” he pouted. “Just leave me alone.”

Ben went to his bed and sat on the edge. “Babe, you can’t let yourself get like this.”

“Like what?” he asked angrily as he looked at him. “Piss of Benjamin, I don’t need your pity.”

“I’m not pitying you; I’m just here to help.”

“Then fuck off! I don’t care anymore!” Tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. “Just leave me be!”

Ben’s eyes filled with tears too. “No,” he said firmly. “I’m gonna help you get through this.”

Armitage scowled at him. “How can you help? You have no idea what it was like; to be locked up like an animal and beaten without provocation. The constant fear of my impending death.” He looked away, as tears started to fall. “You can’t help me, Ben. No one can.”

“You’re right," Ben admitted, "I don’t know how it feels. I won’t pretend that I do.” He placed a hand on his knee. “But I’m here.”

Armitage continued to stare into the distance. “Why did he hate me? I was a good son. I did everything he ever wanted of me. Why did he hate me?”

Ben sighed. THAT he understood. He was kicked out of his own home for his sexual orientation. He still couldn’t fathom why it mattered to someone else who turned you on. Ben finally answered, “His hate for you had nothing to do with YOU and everything to do with HIM. He was a bad man. It didn’t matter who you were, he wouldn’t have loved you. I don’t think he had the capacity to love.”

Armitage nodded. He knew it was true. Brendol Hux could never be pleased with anything. He wasn’t happy unless there was something he could be displeased with. Armitage was simply the easiest and most accessible target. “He beat me,” he whispered. “I know you know the medical report, but it doesn’t speak the proper volumes of his actions.” He looked at Ben now, his eyes pouring out tears. “I was so scared, Ben! I thought I’d never see you or Mom or Dad or anyone ever again!” He took several short and shallow breaths between each sob. “He killed Wexley, right in front of me, as if taking a life meant nothing to him. He was going to take mine! I BEGGED him to, just so the torture would end!” He looked away and added in a whisper, “I gave up hope.”

Ben’s eyes watered in solidarity. “It’s okay. It’s perfectly understandable.”

Armitage continued to sob. “Hold me?” he requested quietly.

Ben made himself more comfortable and then pulled him into his arms. He continued to sob, neither of them speaking. Ben wished there was more that he could do; holding him just didn’t seem to be enough. I longed to take all the pain away. He would have gladly taken it on himself if it would spare Armitage from having to feel it.

While Ben was feeling inadequate to help Armitage, he was feeling as though he could never ask for anything more than to have Ben hold him. Being in Ben’s arms meant safety; it meant home.

***

EPILOGUE

It was a hot day in June as, Poe, Armitage, and Ben dressed in their graduation cap and gowns. They were done! They’d made it! The school year had been tough for all of them in one way or another. Armitage was still healing from the trauma he’d experienced, both physically and mentally. Ben had to deal with the aftermath of it. He was with him through it all, no matter how hard it got. Poe had news of his own that he’d yet to share with anyone. Phasma was pregnant. They were still debating on how to handle the situation, but Poe was certain they were planning on keeping it. He felt like he was still a kid himself; how was he going to raise one? But he knew he had the most amazing parents to look up to. So, he told himself that if he could be half the parents they were, he wouldn’t screw up too badly.

Gabe had been released from jail. The courts considered him a changed man and his debt paid to society, but he still felt he had more to do. He became a counselor for other convicts and was working on becoming a youth pastor. Luke was helping him to become a motivational speaker. It was Gabe’s hope to be able to help other troubled kids turn away from the dark path he had found himself in.

Paige and Rose sat with the family. Over the year, Paige had become a part of their family unit. It was strange to her still, to see how these people who weren’t related were family, but she had grown to love them. She was realizing that family was more about the blood you would sacrifice for someone rather than the blood that ran through your veins.

Armitage, Ben, and Poe all walked together. It was thrilling to hear the cheers that came from a small section of the audience. Their family was the loudest and most boisterous of all.

Ben was legally adopted as a Solo once he’d been with them for six months. He even had his last name changed legally; Ben Solo sounded right. He had decided to do a technical program rather than attend college; he decided he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps and become an electrician. Armitage and Poe would both be attending the community college.

As much as they all wanted to stay at home, the three of them and Phasma decided to rent a small place together, that way, Han and Leia would have more room to foster other kids. They had a new girl with them at graduation, Jannah. She was one of the youngest they’d ever fostered, being eight years old. She already fit into their family. She roomed with Rey and loved having a big sister. She also loved having a brother with the same skin color. She was enamored by both Rey and Finn.

They had a family barbecue after the graduation ceremony. Ben looked around him in awe. So much had changed since he’d walked through those front doors. His heart swelled with joy. He’d felt it before many times and he knew he’d feel it again, but this was home.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos always inspire me to keep working!


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